Scar, Friend or Foe?
by BlueBastard
Summary: Lex and Scar run into eachother during the Hunt, Lex departing with Scar's mask in her possession. The darkness hides more than it reveals. The mask that should've killed Lex changes her instead. Will anger or forgiveness drive Scar's hand?
1. Is that MY gun?

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of AvP. Just a fan.

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Lex's heartbeat shattered the silence and darkness. The alien edged forward slowly, lips baring teeth in a malicious smile.

That's what gave it away, the observer in the shadows noted, as the soft meat let out a shrill cry before dodging. The ebony hard meat let out a cry of its own, though its higher pitched one gave on a different tone. One of fury. And of pure, unswerving blood-lust.

The Predator clenched his fist around his staff-like Combistick, the weapon fully lengthened and ready. They were running straight towards him. The soft meat blind in the darkness. The alien blind in its rush to capture its prey. It was unaware.

Lex stumbled, throat clenched in sudden terror. Squealing its delight, the alien leaped forward with momentum, having every intent to strike down its pre-

That's when Scar struck.

Muscles bunching, the Yautja lunged forward, giant arm darting out to grasp the hard meat around its neck. Using its momentum against it, Scar pivoted, slamming the alien as hard as he could to the stone-like wall of the temple.

BAM!

The stone wall exploded outward at the impact, making Lex cover her head protectively. The human female's wide brown eyes took in the two battling forms in the darkness. But it was too dark to make out anything clearly. Lex knew her eyes merely needed time to adjust. She was almost stepped on twice before her feet decided it was a good idea to bring her somewhere safer. Hah, safer. If only such a place existed.

Neither Predator nor Alien took heed of her sudden departure, too enraptured in their battle to focus on anything else. The hard meat hissed dangerously low, whipping its tail in a wide arc in front of its pinned form. This forced Scar to leap back, a snarl on his own lips, though the sound was distorted and echoed with a metallic trill through its mask. Hardly a breath later, the black sinewy form launched itself off the wall, giving the Predator half a second to brace itself.

The Yautja took the force of the leap well, considering he only skidded ninety feet down the corridor. He had curled instinctively as the hard meat had rammed into his armored body, lessening the force of the impact. Breath effectively knocked out of him, the Predator didn't dare lose a moment's concentration as the alien continued its attack, mucus-covered teeth hoping to catch the Yautja between its jaws. Growling, Scar caught the elongated head roughly between his hands. Caught up in the thrill of battle, death looming mere inches from his face, Scar yanked the alien's head closer to his own. Staring right into that murderous face, the Yautja let out a battle-hardened roar.

The alien bared its teeth, head regarding the Yautja before him. The hunter challenged him? At the corner of its mind, it felt the mental nod of The Queen. So be it. Pausing in its frantic haste to kill the Predator quickly, the hard meat opened its mouth and let out a shrill challenge of its own. Scar was pleased. He wanted a good battle.

Lex watched on in horrified amazement. The two titanic forms were fighting a few yards down the hall from her, and all she could do was stand there in slack-jawed, wide-eyed, terror. Shouldn't she be going somewhere? Shouldn't she be running. Like, uh... right now?

But no matter what the voices in her head were saying, her legs refused to budge.

KaBLAM!

Someone had rammed the other into the stone wall. Hard. Dust clouds thick enough to make Lex gag spilled over the hallway, enveloping the darkness with a fine particles of broken stone.

There were no movements but the rise and fall of Lex's chest. There were no sounds besides the loud thumping of her heartbeat in her ears.

Suddenly, something moved.

It only took Lex a few moments before she realized the winner. Scar emerged the victor of the short-lived battle. But despite his obvious victory, the Predator couldn't help but feel more than a bit discouraged. Sure, the hard meats were considered one of the ultimate preys, so then why had that battle not been as satisfying as it should have been? Growling in a short trill of frustration, the Yautja jerked his head to examine the dead body at his feet, his dreadlocks lashing against his face at the sudden movement. Upon closer inspection, the Hunter realized the problem.

That alien had been small. Young. Not much of a challenge.

Lex blinked, still trying to let the fact sink in at how quickly the Hunter had dispatched the Alien. When she noticed the Predator's frustration, she cringed inwardly. Did it want to fight more? Would it kill her? Remembering the way some of her companions had been horrifically slain by both Predators and Aliens, the human couldn't help but shudder.

That's when she remembered. She still had the guards' gun. The strange artifact they had taken from the depths of the pyramid. If only they had left well enough alone. The gun was the reason the Hunters took out some of her people. Or at least, that's how Lex had talked and rationalized it with Sebastion before... Lex let the thought come to a standstill.

The Predator was looking straight at her.

Every muscle in her body tensed.

Catching the clenched stillness of the human's muscles, the Yautja stood rigid a moment. Would the female dare challenge him? He scented the air and moments later dispelled that thought. She would not attack him. Her stance was weak. She smelled of fear. Shifting through his visual enhancers with a mere blink of his eye, the Predator stiffened even more. She had reason to be afraid.

She had one of their guns.

His growl was low. His trill filled with the promise of much pain as he stalked forward, his fingers gripped painfully on the elegant Combistick he still held. SHE was one of the soft meats that had taken THEIR guns. How DARE they. How DARE the soft meats tamper with the Hunt.

Lex's eyes widened at the Predator making its way unswervingly to her. She only had to read his hunched shoulders and hear the threat in his warning growl to know his intent. He was mad.

And he was going to kill her.

Her climber instincts kicked in then, screaming at her to fight, hide, run, anything to save her skin. It was like staring down at an endless abyss below her. Knowing there were no ropes to stop her from falling. All that stood in between her and death were her own instincts and strengths. And right now, her tremendous fear was definitely NOT one of her strengths.

'Work with what you have,' Lex found her thoughts hissing in her head, 'fear can be used. Turn it to my own advantage.'

Fear clouds the mind. At the same time it made everything so much clearer. But only if you knew how to sift through the choking terror.

Adrenaline. What could...

RUN.

She dodged the Hunter's sudden lunge, gasping as the sharp end of the Combistick whizzed millimeters past. Thrown off-guard by her sudden movement, the Yautja reached out with his arm a split second too late. She had ducked under the appendage and continued sprinting off into the darkness, her eyes already adjusted despite the sound of her petrified heart booming in her ears.

The Predator trilled in irritation before he pivoted, darting after his new prey.

It's amazing just how fast you can run when motivated.

All too soon, Lex found her muscles screaming in the way only a hard five-hour climb could produce. Apparently running for your life in ten or twenty minutes had the same effect. Thankfully, that voice Lex had always found annoying kept up a mantra of, 'Don't stop. Keep going. Don't stop. Keep going.'

Unfortunately, that other voice was there as well. The one screaming in pain, just tempting her to rest. Just for a moment. But if she did that, then in the next moment she would probably be dead.

Panting, Lex chanced a glance over her shoulder, trying to spot the Hunter that was chasing her.

It wasn't there.

She could hear a multitude of things. Her boots slapping hard against the ground. Her breath, quick and demanding, was harsh and loud. Most of all, she could hear the pounding of blood rushing through her ears. She could hear all that, and yet she could hear nothing of the Hunter. Had she lost that humanoid alien?

The next instant, she slammed into something and fell. Hard.

"What the fuck?" She gushed in one loud breath. She was gulping in air too quickly to say it any other way.

There hadn't been a wall in front of her, though. Just an open, dark and creepy corridor. Nothing was there. But she had most definitely run into SOMETHING.

That's when he moved. Strangely, it looked as if the very background before her just sprung to life, details moving ever so slightly as what almost seemed like ripples glided towards her. An invisible hand clutched at the front of her parka and she was jerked bodily into the air. Instantaneously, the cloaking deactivated and Lex was faced with one pissed off Predator.

Her breath caught. They were mere breaths away. And she knew this thing could breathe, what with the raspy sound emanating rhythmically through the mask. So either the Hunter was out of breath or it was really mad.

Lex prayed to god it was the former of the two options.


	2. Kill or be killed

Disclaimer: Not my characters. Idea stems from AvP creators and plot.

A/N: Heh heh, oh yeah, the aliens really don't have eyes. Forgot about that.

-grins- Kool. An Austrian and a Russian reviewer. -grins wider- I don't often have reviewers who tell me their nationalities. It's just... awesome. I hope my story isn't too hard for you to read. Enjoy.

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**Before****: Scar defeated small Alien. Found out Lex had gun. Got mad. Chased her down. **

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The Predator's breath seemed harsh in her ears. And it didn't help any that they were less than a hands width apart.

Lex probably would've felt better if she wasn't being held at least a whole foot off the ground. The distance was just enough to bring her eye level with the Yautja, and then some.

She also would've felt better if she wasn't nearly pissed-in-her-pants scared. Nearly. Soiled clothing would be the least of her problems if the Predator was going to kill her.

Scar glared fiercely at the soft meat before him, his grip on the front of her parka tightening, half-strangling her in the process. He sniffed, then gave a disgruntled snort. She wasn't nearly as frightened as she should be. Maybe she needed some incentive.

Ripping off his mask, the Predator easily pulled her closer and roared loudly, his mandibles outstretched in reflex.

His amber eyes seemed a bit sunken in, giving him a hard, skeletal look about him. His skin was a pasty yellow mottled with brown spots nearing the edges of his face. Short lengths of wiry hair bristled out near his temples, the longer strands having been pulled and twisted back into the dreadlocks she was accustomed to seeing. But what mostly drew her attention was his mouth. If you could call it a mouth, that is.

Four crab-like mandibles adorned the four corners, his skin stretched over each base. Sharp teeth gleamed in the center, filling two rows just like humans with one exception. The Yautja did not possess any lips.

Lex flinched, unsure whether or not the ugliness of the Hunter's face was a good thing. On one hand, it was a monster. And on the other hand, it would STILL be a monster even with a pretty face. So then it didn't matter that the creature's face was ugly. Well, now that that was settled, Lex resumed staring at Scar with abject terror.

Scar trilled, tilting his head a bit to the side as he studied his captive objectively. Why wasn't the pitiful soft meat screaming in terror? She was not armed. She could not possibly have been a warrior of her people. Not that she would have been near enough a challenge for him if she was. The Predator growled at the mere thought. How could he possibly call himself a fully blooded warrior if he defeated the hard meats, only to be overtaken by this Ooman before him?

A growl rumbled in the chest of the Yautja warrior as he raised the soft meat higher. What use was she to him? Unless he wanted to skin her cowardly hide, which he wouldn't even dare consider. Instead, he readied his spear, wondering what it would be like to impale the Ooman. But the instant the thought blipped through his mind, his hand stilled. Such acts were dishonorable.

She was unarmed.

AND she was female.

Scar was unsure what exactly the values were of Ooman males and warriors, but to the Yautja, the life of a female was a treasured thing indeed. Without them, life would not be birthed. Without them, young Unblooded warriors like himself would have never been born to fulfill their worth during the Hunt.

With a defeated huff, the Predator placed the Ooman back on her two feet. When she remained staring at him, the Predator cocked his head to the side and trilled again in curiosity. He had expected her to have run by now.

Little did he know her feet were planted more by fear than with what little courage she had left.

Movement over the Hunter's shoulder caught Lex's attention. It could've been a rat. Hell, in this darkness, anything that moved could be 'seen' as a rat. A really huge one. But this one was slimy. And there was no way a huge, furless, slimy rat could move that fast.

Lex screamed.

With unusual cat-like grace for a humanoid creature his size, the Predator pivoted, drew back his arm, and hurled the spear-like form of the Combistick. All in one fluid movement. With a sickening 'SPLURCH', the alien froze mid-stride. The Combistick had effectively skewered it from thickened skull to thinly muscled leg. In mere moments, the now dead husk toppled to the ground, jerking in post-death spasms.

Raptor-like shrieks echoed through the tunnel. It sounded like there were a lot more Aliens coming. And the hard meats were headed straight towards them.

Focusing his gaze on the Combistick protruding from the dead husk of the Alien, Scar knew he didn't have time to pry the weapon from the cold body. It was useless to him. With a sharp growl, he whipped around, his braids arcing gracefully in his swift movement.

Lex froze as she noted the dead pan gaze directed at her, her breath stilling in her lungs. She knew what he wanted. And the Yautja wouldn't mind ripping her arm off to get it.

Another cry from the oncoming danger jerked the female into action. With hands trembling with fear and adrenaline, Lex shrugged off the bag and fumbled with the zipper.

His hardened gaze on the Ooman crouched before him, the warrior flexed his fist as he shifted his attention to the hard meats honing in on Lex and Scar. The Aliens bared their teeth maliciously, already tasting the blood of their prey. But that's not the way it would be. Scar was a Yautja. A born and bred Hunter. He would not sell his life so easily.

The Predator clicked in impatience, holding back the snarl that bubbled inside at the Ooman's slow retrieval, though he wondered why he didn't simply tear the thing from her. Even if her arms came off with it. He needed a weapon and he needed one NOW. Lex was fully aware of this and mumbled an apology even as her hands slipped inside the bag. It was not hard to find the gun. The moment her fingers touched the smooth, metallic surface, she knew she had found it. Trembling fingers wrapping around it, she jerked it quickly out of the bag.

But it was too late.

The first of the hard meats was upon them. Growling fiercely in the face of battle, Scar lunged forth. His face plate clattered, forgotten, on the stone floor beside Lex. Jumping at the loud sound, Lex found herself standing on her feet, the gun clutched to her chest. 'This is it,' she thought to herself, 'I'm gonna die.'

But death never came.

Instead, Lex was faced with the awesome sight before her of the Hunter holding his own against the first attacking Alien. They were tangled in what could almost be mistaken as a hug. If you counted in the fact that both were trying to rip the others' face off and decorate the hall with the others' blood.

Lex was busy gaping when she noticed the other three Aliens barreling towards them. Three? Three more Aliens? That would be too much for the big guy to handle. The one Alien he was fighting was bigger than the child he had faced earlier. He was doing well to keep up his own right now, but Lex wasn't so sure he would do so well against three more unwelcome opponents. Not to mention the fact that she would be as dead as he was if they didn't emerge as victors from this battle.

Raising the oddly heavy gun, Lex prayed that it would work. She barely noticed when a strange tingling ran up her arms, consequently charging through her whole body from the contact with the strange alloy. She was more focused on death incarnate running towards her in the form of three drones.

One of the oncoming Aliens spotted her and hissed in blood-filled anticipation. It would enjoy ripping her apart.

Hopelessness filled the brown-skinned woman. Thinking back to how she had agreed to lead the team onto the ice, she remembered how they had died, how Sebastian had slipped from her grasp. He was dead because of her, because he tried to save her. Now she was just going to throw that away? Lex felt the muscles in her jaw tighten, her brow wrinkling as she frowned. A sudden fire filled the black woman, and she snarled a split second before she held the gun higher, "Not if I can help it, motherfu-"

Her words were cut short at the sudden staggering force that pushed her back the same time an intense blue shot blasted out of the weapon. The bullet of energy filled the dark hallway with light, momentarily blinding the women and the three drones. She had just enough sight left to watch as the target Alien froze in its tracks, its lips pulled back in a surprised howl. Moments later its dead body was hurled down the passageway, blue electricity seeming to spark through his body even as smoke wafted from the huge hole where its face used to be.

Lex didn't know how and she didn't know why, since the gun lacked an actual trigger, but somehow the gun worked. And it had some kick to it.

"Alright," Lex breathed, feeling a surge of triumph as she realized the Alien she had shot was dead, "I can do this."

She aimed at a second Alien. One who was currently standing beside its recently killed companion. Bracing herself, Lex made the gun fire once more and was pleased as the second Alien, too, became toast.

This kind of power was addictive. And after being trapped in that pyramid for who knows how long, Lex found out that she liked this kind of power. She liked it VERY much.

Scar roared as he took the beast's head within his two hands. This move made him vulnerable to any kind of attack possible. So he had to move quickly. The roar was to attract the hard meat's main attention to his face, giving the Alien no time to think about swiping at him with any of its deadly limbs. Having succeeded in that, the Hunter promptly twisted its head with a powerful surge of his arm muscles. The hard meat's strangled cry was abruptly cut off.

He heard the snap and sidestepped quickly to avoid its thrashing limbs along with any acidic blood.

The hard meat was dead. Merely another tally to add to the Hunter's growing list.

Scar whipped his head around, quick to survey his surroundings. With surprise, he noted that two hard meats were downed. None had been touched by him. So it truly had been the flash from his stolen Plasmacaster, then, that he had noted earlier.

One hard meat was left. And it was advancing towards the lone Ooman.

Lex gripped the gun harder. This Alien just would NOT hold still. It had sensed its companions die. It had sensed HOW they died. And somehow, the Alien had deduced that keeping still or going in a straight line was a bad idea. Then again, the Alien did have the Queen's voice ringing in its head, guiding it.

"Damn you," Lex growled, her hands trying to aim the weapon, "hold STILL."

She caught movement to her side and flicked her eyes that way, still keeping the Alien in her focus. It was the Hunter. He was standing with his hand outstretched, almost as if he was asking for something. Asking for what, though? For her to come over there? No, that wouldn't do either of them any good.

Lex's eyes widened slightly. He was asking for the gun? But that would... that would leave her defenseless. If she tossed the gun to the Hunter...

Her life would be in his hands.

'Not as if I'm doing any better right now,' She noted to herself, frowning. The Alien kept dodging. AND it was getting closer with each breath she took, gaining inch by life-saving inch as it sprung and leaped around.

Through clenched teeth, Lex let out a steady breath.

The Yautja cocked his head, his hand still outstretched, watching her.

What would the Ooman do?

The Alien stilled for a moment. Lex fired without hesitation. But the creature was fast. Too fast.

It dodged, getting away with a small burnt singe on its clawed foot, making it hiss with anger.

'Can he fire any better?' Lex wondered, before adding, 'Well, I'd hope so. This IS his weapon, after all.'

She had no choice.

Tensing, she tossed the gun at him as quickly as she could. The Alien had read her movements. Sensing its chance, the Alien sprung directly for the now unarmed soft meat.

All Lex could do was duck under its blind leap towards her, feeling the air of its passage rush centimeters from the top of her head.

Scar caught his gun and hastily affixed it to the perch on his shoulder armor. It took mere milliseconds to lock on to the hard meat. The gun had locked on the Alien even before it had jumped. But the Yautja had paused, wanting to see what the soft meat would do.

As the Alien landed heavily behind her, Lex risked a quick glance at the Hunter off to the side. She noted that the gun was latched onto the top of his shoulder. But why was he just standing there? Was he going to let her die?

Maybe he was. Maybe it was because she had taken the gun. It hadn't been HER decision to take the damn things! Either way, he was still just standing there. And she was still just about to be killed.

"Bastard." Lex hissed with piled venom.

Her hand caught the strap of her backpack. Her HEAVY backpack. And it was about the only weapon she had right now.

Fine. If the Hunter wasn't going to help her, she would just have to manage on her own.

Tightening her grip, Lex pivoted and rose quickly from her crouch, catching the surprised alien right on the face. It staggered a bit from the force of her blow and Lex found a pleased grin tugging at the edge of her face. Then she remembered this wasn't a game. This creature was going to kill her and all she had was a damn backpack to protect her. This realization was solidified as the Alien slowly turned back to face her, its upper lip twitching in vehemence as it hissed in rage.

Its clawed hand lashed out and-

A sudden, blinding charge whistled towards them. Lex had barely enough time to blink the spots from her vision as the wall to her right exploded from the Alien crashing into it. Flying into a defensive crouch, Lex unconsciously took a few steps back along with the invisible wave of force that pushed her from the point of impact.

After checking to see that the Alien was incapacitated, Lex took a few more steps back and tried to calm her heart and collect her thoughts. What... the FUCK... just happened?

Obviously the Alien was lifeless. It had crashed into the wall with a giant hole smoldering in its chest. Lex frowned, trying to get her shell-shocked brain to work. Why was there a hole in its chest? Feeling like she was explaining herself to a two year old, she found her numb mind running through the obvious steps. Well... the blinding light, obviously shot from the gun, had blasted the Alien INTO the wall. An Alien which was now dead. And dead Aliens killed nobody.

Okay. Now that that was all cleared up, Lex slowly inhaled a shaky breath.

She had actually started to relax until she heard a footstep behind her.

In a flash, she remembered. The Predator.

'Duh, who fired the gun? HOW could she have forgotten about him!' Lex, fighting the muscles that threatened to freeze over in terror, slowly turned around, her gaze lowered.

Was he going to kill her now? Had she survived this whole time only to be killed by this hellhole's guard?

The Yautja studied the soft meat. She had killed two hard meats this day. The third had almost killed her. Or, at least, it looked like it had been about to kill her. Battles could shift in the slightest of moments. So he could be wrong.

She refused to meet his eyes. If he followed her gaze, he could actually see her sight was fixed on a spot on the ground directly before him.

Was she angered he had stolen her kill? If so, why was she not challenging him right there in the spot?

Scar cocked his head. He trilled his curiosity out loud, his purr sounding distorted, yet it had a calming effect.

She had been about to run. She had wanted to run. But to where? Her mind had asked, 'where would I run to? Into the mouth of another of those Aliens? Run to my death?'

At the sound of his trill, his odd voice, Lex paused. What did it want? She had never heard anything from these monsters that sounded anywhere close to the tone that was sounded now. It was almost… peaceful. Knowing the big brute could kill her anytime, Lex decided giving it a fraction of her time now wouldn't make a difference either way. Her tense muscles eased slightly and she couldn't help it as her gaze wandered upwards from the ground. Her eyes locked onto his deep amber ones as her breath caught in her throat.

How could a humanoid beast that had killed so viciously... how could he possess such eyes? She was expecting eyes brimming with hatred and psychotic tendencies. Those of a murderer. But… no. His eyes had a depth that spoke volumes of his intelligence. He was sentient. As sentient as she. Except where she was trained to climb and lead expeditions he, on the other hand was... more trained and bred to kill.

'I killed.' Lex thought to herself, her eyes half-lidded as she remembered.

She couldn't help it. Down here, in the pyramid, you either killed or you died.

"The law of the jungle." Lex suddenly found her voice falling from her lips, followed by an incredulous snort. She didn't know why. What was there to be funny about this situation? Still, she continued, her voice soft as she searched his eyes, "Kill or be killed. Are you..."

She took in a shaky breath. A supposedly calming breath. But her eyes never left his. Their gazes were locked as she continued, "... gonna kill me?"

The Yautja blinked.

Bending his head forward, Scar reached for a pad on his forearm. It almost looked like some sort of technical device. The movement itself made Lex tense, but when she saw he wasn't reaching for a weapon, she stilled once more. Amber eyes scanning the recorded piece, the Yautja highlighted the chosen part on the data pad and played it back aloud.

Lex's voice rang back out at her in the silent hall, "Are you... gonna kill me?"

For a moment, the silence stretched on.

Amber eyes, smirking almost, locked onto brown eyes for a moment. A single brow ridge was raised, as he looked at her with a 'what do you think?' expression.

Stunned at the sound of her voice coming back at her, her brain still not quite functioning, Lex pointed at herself, "Who… me?"

Blinking, the Yautja snorted, not sure whether he should be amused or insulted. Sure, she had killed, but to face a trained Yautja warrior of his race and caliber?

The human woman suddenly realized the implications of her words, horrified, and she imagined herself picking up a rock and trying to pulverize the colossal humanoid with it. From the look on her face, the Predator couldn't help what he did next. Rumbling deep from within his throat, trilling laughter pierced the darkness. Lex couldn't help but to nervously follow.


	3. Jealous? NO

Disclaimer: Yeah right. Like I'd be writing a fanfic right now if I owned Alien vs. Predators. Haha, that's funny. In case it isn't clear by now: No, no I do not own any of AvP's original cast, plot, or just the whole movie altogether.

A/N: -grins uncontrollably- Wicked kool. Now an Irish person. A Russian, an Austrian, and now an Irish person. Such a small world we live in! -smirks- I just want to take the time to thank my reviewers for... well, for reviewing. Thanx all.

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**Before****: Scar took on another Alien. Lex, surprisingly, used the gun to kill two more. The fourth was killed by Scar with the gun, although Lex could've sworn the Hunter was about to let her die. They had a good laugh at the end.**

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By the time their laughter had died down, Lex found herself leaning against the wall for support, nervousness bubbling up inside her. Still standing, the Yautja rolled his shoulders and tossed his dreadlocks to one side.

Rubbing her now sore sides, Lex found her attention drawn to the Hunter before her as he gave a short trill. Wondering what in the world he had just said, the black woman brought her brown gaze to meet his amber one.

They just stood there for a while, just... studying one another. 'I hope he doesn't have second thoughts about not killing me,' Lex found herself saying dryly in her mind.

What the Yautja was actually thinking ran along the lines of: 'Why does this Ooman fight, when she is obviously a non-warrior female?'

Her eyes traveled with apprehension along his well-muscled physique, taking in his strange armor and numerous tools and blades with a nervous crease of her brow. He had weapons she had never seen before. And though his armor resembled those of knights of the old days, she had the strange sensation that the metallic alloy used to create the protective casing, as well as his weapons, were not of this Earth. Though the netting, reminiscent to the style of gothic teens, made Lex pause questioningly.

"You're... a Hunter from another world. A Predator. Aren't you?" Lex commented aloud, raising her eyes up to his. She wasn't sure why, but classifying him with that word seemed... right. She wasn't expecting an answer.

And Lex was somewhat surprised to find that she was under the same scrutinizing gaze she had just been giving the Predator.

Scar clicked his mandibles absently in thought. Her hair, though thick and full, was not twisted and braided as was ritual with his species. Her brown face remained smooth and was downright unnatural without mandibles. She was adorned in layers of Ooman clothing. It may be adequate for warmth, but it did nothing to protect the body from physical harm. Unless she was hoping to get out of the pyramid without another encounter with the hard meats. At that thought, Scar couldn't help but snort in disbelief.

While her observation had been made under a thinly veiled air of fear, the human survivor felt the undercurrents of strong distaste emanating from the silent figure before her. Despite her situation, the brown-skinned woman bristled in response to her ego being stepped and spit on. Feeling that she didn't live up to his expectations, Lex narrowed her eyes, asking in a challenging tone, "What?"

Taking in the tone and stance of her body, Scar raised his brow ridge in surprise. Was she challenging him? Did she wish to prove herself here? Now? At the thought, Scar frowned. How would one accept the challenge from a female?

Lex didn't catch the frown, though, as she spotted the glint of something metallic on the ground. Stooping forward to retrieve it, she stood back up as she said, "Hey, you dropped your mask."

But at the last word, her eyes widened immensely, a single word escaping her suddenly frozen lips, "SHIT."

Now, Lex wasn't your typical horror movie-goer. Watch something scary. Scream your head off. That wasn't her style. She was more the type to freeze in numb horror with a ridged curse on her lips. This was one of those moments because right now, right over the Predator's shoulder, one of the Aliens slithered down the side of the wall. It was about to strike. And Scar was just STANDING there, facing her.

Before her lips could even form in warning, the hard meat struck. It was fast. But Scar was faster.

It had seemed like the Yautja had just been standing there, gazing at her shocked expression. But he had heard the thing coming before she had even bent down to pick up the mask. Scar may have been new to the Hunt, but he knew that sometimes the element of surprise and patience could ensure victory the same way bravery and brute strength could.

His hand delved into his pouch and whipped out at the Alien before Lex could even blink. It was only afterwards, when his arm wasn't a blur of motion, that she saw the wickedly curved blade in his palm. In no time at all, the humanoid was facing her again as though nothing had happened. The Alien was still poised directly behind the Predator, its fangs and talons raised and ready to strike. Unfortunately for the hard meat, today just wasn't its day. With ironically delayed timing after Scar's super fast movements, the top half of its head literally slid off before its body toppled to the ground.

Lex could only stare at it and think, 'Gross.' No thoughts concerning their health or safety or the Predator's near death experience. Just that one word. Gross. After all, the thing's gooey piss-colored brains were strewn out for the world to see. No one needs to see that. No one. And yet, there she was, staring away.

Scar shoved at the carcass with his armor-clad foot, clicking in a short burst as he wondered if it truly was dead. He remembered the old ones retelling their tales of the Hunt where a particularly large hard meat had killed a dozen Yautja. It had killed them AFTER its head had been torn off. Still… Scar grunted as he berated himself for thinking such thoughts. What? Was he still a youngling pup? Such thoughts were laughable. He was a warrior now. A fully blooded one if he got out of this alive. He had killed what his kind considered an admirable prey. A hard meat.

Several hard meats, to be exact.

And without any trophies to show for it.

Scar growled at the thought, kneeling next to the carcass without hesitation. How could he have forgotten to collect his trophies? Now he REALLY felt like an unblooded youngling. With a swift glance about the corridor, he counted three of his kills. He might as well make the best of the situation and gather trophies from his kills here.

"Um... hello?" Lex asked timidly, a few steps behind him.

Not sparing her a glance, the Yautja stood, inspecting his kills. He had no time for what he considered an unthreatening soft meat. Sure she had managed to decapitate a few hard meats on her own, but that was with HIS Plasmacaster. Could it be that the newly blooded Predator was... jealous? Scar dismissed that thought with a snort of disbelief. What was there to be jealous of? She was a soft meat. She was female. She was small.

And she was standing right in front of him, blocking his view of his kills.

The low clicking noise that bubbled from his throat rang with a suspended threat. If she valued her life, she would step aside.

"Look, uh, Predator... Hunter... uh, thing-" She started to say.

But the Yautja's mandibles twitched in a sudden surge of annoyance. It was true that their languages were two wholly different vocal patterns, but unlike Lex, the young warrior had undergone many sessions of studying her soft meat culture. He had an upper hand on her. Well, besides being an obviously better hunter, he also understood everything she said. And right now, he was not in the state of mind to be messed with.

Straining with muscles normally dormant and unused in his throat, the Predator snarled out one word, "Sshhkkaaarrrr."

He almost laughed at the sight reminiscent of eyeballs popping out of one's skull. Almost. But he remembered his sudden sour mood and quelled any thoughts of mirth. Scar had work to do. If he expected to get his trophies before any more attacks, he had to move fast.

Lex, on the other hand, was busy staring at him, wide-eyed in surprise. She hadn't known they could TALK. Not with mouths like those. She frowned as she recalled the exact sounds he had formed. It sounded like... Scar. Was that his name?

"Scar?" Lex repeated, brown eyes searching his amber ones, shying away from his pastey yellow skin mottled with brown spots. She also attempted not to blatantly stare outright at his mandibles. The four, crab-like appendages were each tipped with a hooked fang, encircling a mouth lined with sharp teeth. The prominent ridge and forehead almost reminded her of the early hominids. Cavemen. Except this caveman was in reptilian-like skin with wiry hair twisted into long dreadlocks. Overall, it was a face only a mother could love.

Nodding once, mandibles clenched, Scar made a point of stepping around her to look at his kills.

Crossing her arms at his abrupt rudeness, the soft meat female in sarcastic monotone, "Yeah, the name's Lex. Nice to meet you too."

Scar grunted absentmindedly in response, crouching near the closest Alien exoskeleton. Of all the trophies one could acquire, the skull was the most favored. But it was only worth taking if the size was one to proudly display. With grunt of disgust, Scar realized none of the hard meats he had killed were overly large. Mostly medium sized. Not something worth the time it took to wrench the skull free, drag it back to the ship while staying alive, and cleaning it afterwards.

Lex scuffed her boot as she stood watching the Predator warily. He was currently crouching, expecting his kills with a meticulous eye.

'He's like a kid at a toy store.' Lex realized, though a grin tugged at her lip as she noticed that he didn't look too pleased. Now that she was a little surer that he wasn't out to kill her for the time being, she allowed herself small luxuries like that.

As the Predator reached out for the dead Alien's tail, Lex found herself watching curiously. The wicked curve of the blade glinted in his hands as he worked the tip of the tail. The curved point of the dead Alien's anatomy reminded the black woman of an oversized scorpion's stinger. With a sickening 'scrunch', at which Lex made a face at, Scar managed to pry the stinger free in a matter of seconds. The Yautja held it away from him for a few moments as he let the acid blood of the hard meat drain from it. Though it was true Scar's species held certain properties that protected their own skin to an extent, the same could not be said of his armor and equipment.

Watching him inspect the large stinger in his calloused palm, Lex couldn't help looking at him incredulously, "You're… gonna keep that thing, aren't you?"

Brow-ridge raised, Scar turned his head slowly to look up at her. Did she EVER stop pointing out the obvious? Clicking wearily, he slipped the small trophy into a large pouch before turning to his other kills.

Lex sighed, clenching her jaw unconsciously. Sure, this was better than Scar being an enraged Hunter trying to kill her, but right now she wasn't even sure of what ground she stood on with him. Would he kill her after he was done chopping up the corpses? Wait, no, she's already thought through that one. The real question was... what was _she_ going to do now?

She had SEEN Scar's companions kill her own. Was it right... was if fair and respectful towards their dead souls that she was with the Predator? His friends had killed her team. Despite their continued awareness of each other, and despite the fact he had not yet followed through with snapping her neck, he was still a threat. He was as dangerous as one of those sleek killers stalking them in the darkness. Watching him strip his kills, his movements precise and silent, she realized she was wrong.

Scar was deadlier.

'What am I doing hanging around with him?' Lex blinked, her thoughts rampaging inside her head. She could feel an immense headache welling up. But she had to stay true to her conscience. It wasn't right. Staying with him... it just wasn't...

Her face twisted into one of sorrow, 'Weyland... and Sebastian... they...'

Shaking his head at the remaining smaller-sized kills, Scar proceeded to half-heartedly pry a tooth here and rip out a well-shaped vertebrae there. Stuffing both pieces into his pouch, the Yautja stood and glanced over at the two hard meats the Ooman had incapacitated. He clicked in annoyance when he noticed that hers were slightly larger.

Jealous? He was not jealous. He was Fully Blooded warrior. He had the mark to prove it, too. So what if his kills were outwitted and outsized by a soft meat's? An Ooman who had none of the grueling training he had. Who had never prepared for the Hunt. One who had never dreamed of the day she would kill a hard meat since she had been a young pup. So what? He didn't care.

Of course his ego wasn't hurt the slightest…

Mandibles twitching slightly, Scar whipped his head around to give the female soft meat a scrutinizing gaze. She had been silent for some time now. Why would she-

Scar paused in mid-thought, his body tensing. How could he not have heard, or sensed anything?

The female was gone.

-o-o-o-

Was that the smartest move? Lex had no clue. But if, in fact, Scar HAD been planning on killing her it WOULD have been wise to leave while he was distracted. Which he was. And she had left. She just... wasn't sure if it was a smart move.

Here she was, in a pyramid that just might have been one of the first built in the entire world, and she was running for her life. She kept seeing the obsidian glint of the Aliens in every shadow, imagining just how ruthlessly they'd rip her apart. Here she was, all alone, when she just might have passed up the chance to survive alongside the Predator who had called himself Scar.

Gritting her teeth, Lex paused to run her hand roughly through her long black locks. She couldn't think straight. Ever since they had accidentally activated the Pyramid, the black woman found it hard to concentrate calmly on a single thought.

'Breathe.' She told herself, recalling many moments of panic during the times she would be scaling mountains hundreds of thousands of feet high. For fun. Fear was always an enemy she faced, where a rushed step or mistakenly moved hand could spell her death. Now was one of those times she needed to collect herself and attempt to think clearly.

"Breathe. Just breathe." She whispered to herself, one palm pressed flat against the stone walls. Walls that should be cold but weren't. Even now she could feel the stones beneath her hand thrumming. Thrumming with warmth and energy.

That's when everything started to shake.

Rumble-rumble. Rumble.

The walls were shifting again.

"Gah." She cried out as she wavered on unsteady feet. The floor was moving! But she was in a corridor! Where else was there to go but forwards and back!

Lurching ahead on her feet, Lex narrowly missed the sudden hole in the floor that was widening behind her. The walls were shifting. The floor was sliding, rising and falling in one motion. Lex couldn't get her bearings. Eyebrows scrunching in concentration, the black woman pelted ahead with determination.

The floor to her right shot upwards, making her wave her arms awkwardly in an attempt to stay on her feet. It was a lost cause, anyway, as a rectangular block from the wall suddenly jutted out. In order to avoid being smashed, she had to drop ungracefully to her hands and knees, face twisted in pain as the solid rock clipped her shoulder.

A raptor-like cry erupted behind her. Foreboding stabbed her spine as she whipped her head around, dreading what would meet her eyes. As she had feared, the obsidian figure was crouched not too far away. The whole structure shaking impaired the creature's ability to track by vibrations through the air. It was precariously perched, tail whipping in anticipation. But not all of its senses were subdued. It could still smell.

Her eyes traced the Alien's deadly, lithe form, its hard shell the color of a colder darkness than the shadows around it. The picture of Sebastian being dragged away from her very fingertips burned in her memory. Lex had heard the cries of Maxwell and the others echoing through the pyramid. It painted a gruesome image of their deaths.

She was deathly afraid. And it KNEW she was.

Hand clutching her throbbing shoulder, Lex stumbled to her feet, her boots echoing fast and hard through the shifting hallway as she ran with a renewed vigor. Her breathing came fast. Almost as if she was trying to breathe at the same pace as her wildly hammering heartbeat. Yeah, good luck with that.

'Run. Don't stop. RUN.' Her thoughts kept repeating over and over, getting louder each time and drowning out whatever other thoughts she might have had.

The very ground beneath her feet opened up. Crying out in shock, she poured every ounce of power she could to push off with the balls of her feet, barely managing to execute a proper jump. Was it enough to catch the other ledge?

-o-o-o-

Scar grumbled as he wrapped his fist around the Combistick, successfully retrieving it as it retracted itself into a smaller version of the spear. He stared down at the first hard meat he had killed, disappointed that it was so small and wondering if he should bother getting any trophies from it. Moments later, the pyramid began its shifting and Scar had to dispel the thought immediately.

The shifting of the pyramid kept the terrain from getting too familiar, catching the unaware by surprise. If you didn't pay attention, the ever shifting maze could even mutilate or decapitate you. The way Scar saw it, it just made the Hunt more challenging.

'Where had that soft meat gone off to?' the Yautja wondered as he raced down the corridor.

He might not have cared.

If only she didn't still have his mask.

Scar almost stopped dead in his tracks as the realization dawned on him. She. Had. His. MASK.

No one... NO ONE would get away with something that belonged to him.

-o-o-o-

Her fingers caught the edge, followed by the rest of her body slamming into the wall.

"Oof!" The breath was forced from her body. But one of her hands gripped something metallic and cold.

She blinked. She STILL had the Predator's mask?

Great. Like she needed more to be worried about.

Screeching aloud, the Alien bounded easily over the newly formed chasm, skidding onto the ledge Lex was clinging to. Its growl vibrating within its throat, the Alien prowled forward, placing itself just above her strained fingers.

Lex's eyes widened as the elongated head inched closer and closer, the Alien's slimy lips drawing back to reveal row after row of needle-like teeth. A breath away from her face, it bared its teeth and hissed at her.

The world continued to rumble around them.

Along with the hiss, spittle seemed to fly at her from nowhere, mixing a little disgust with her fear. Turning her head to one side, she grimaced, "Gross. Keep your spit to yourself."

Abruptly, the Alien drew his head back. The look on its face could only be described as startled confusion. Wondering if it had understood her, Lex eyed the Alien warily. Then suddenly, it was back invading her personal space, the hiss even louder.

Maybe it wasn't such a smart idea to make it mad.

But Lex's eyes could focus on nothing else but the fangs millimeters from her face.


	4. Separation

Disclaimer: Once again... I do not own nor make money off of AvP's characters or concept.

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**Before****: Lex finds out Scar's name, as well as the fact he could say it in English. Scar gets a bit mad as he realized he forgot to collect trophies from his kills, unconsciously directing that anger at Lex. His cold behavior coupled with sudden guilt and doubt that linger in Lex's mind from her friends' deaths, make her doubt staying by his side. Scar was taken by surprise at her sudden disappearance. Lex is on the verge of regretting her decision. At the end, what they both realized was that she had his mask.**

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"N-nice... Alien... monster." Lex breathed out shakily, her tone soft in an attempt to placate the blood thirsty creature before her.

Her hold was slipping. The rumbling of the entire pyramid wasn't helping things either.

Hissing louder by the moment, the Alien's thin, saliva-coated lips drew back in a vicious snarl. It had its prey cornered. Victory was assured. And the Queen was hissing encouragement and praise in his mind.

'Kill her.' The Queen commanded darkly.

The Alien was all too eager to comply. Unfortunately for it, the Alien was too eager for its own good. It wasn't until the moving slab beside it had gotten too close to dodge that the obsidian creature noticed. The slab was shooting out from the wall, intent on covering the newly formed ledge. The ledge it was currently crouched on. Snarling, it prepared to leap.

But it was too late.

Lex's eyes widened as she, too, noticed the unstoppable stone. If she remained as she was, her fingers would be smashed to oblivion. Gritting her teeth, she did what she had to.

She let go.

For a split second, her eyes met the unwavering face of the Alien. A frustrated, angry cry erupted from the hard meat's chest before there no longer was a chest to create it.

Lex turned her head as the insides of the creature burst out from the stone slab's hug of death. She turned her head and darkness met her gaze.

Her mouth formed a silent cry as she continued falling into the depths of the newly created crevice.

-o-o-o-

Scar snarled, brushing a thin layer of unsettled dust that had coated his shoulders.

The pyramid had finally paused in its shifting.

His hardened gaze met the unwavering wall before him. The wall hadn't been there before. Now he couldn't track the soft meat that had gone this way.

The Yautja's mandibles clicked in agitation. He had gained one edge to lose another. The Plasmacaster was a definite improvement to his current, mainly hand-to-hand type, weaponry. But the loss of the mask resulted in a decrease in his tracking abilities. Sure, compared to soft meats and most other predatory species, the Yautja had nicely heightened senses. But the Predators had prided themselves in empowering their senses even more with the technology their masks provided. Losing it hit Scar hard.

Perhaps he had relied on the utility too much?

The old ones were always warning them not to be too dependent on any one thing. To do so might cost one's life. Scar had always scoffed before at such ominous statements. After all, he could not possibly get too attached to something. Except that he had. His mask was gone and the Ooman had taken it.

A grave mistake.

He had been ready to leave her to her own devices as soon as he had collected his trophies. They were going to part ways. After all, why would Scar need the assistance of a soft meat?

But now, thing's have changed.

Brandishing a blade, the Yautja growled.

Things have changed indeed.

-o-o-o-

The silent scream ended at the abrupt end of her drop. Instinct took over then and she immediately sent herself into a forward roll, ensuring that her legs would remain unbroken and hopefully intact.

But that didn't prevent her head from crashing into a wall afterwards.

Sporting a painful bruise now at the top of her skull, Lex grimaced. Her legs were numb and she prayed to god that they hadn't snapped or anything that would physically hinder her. Tentatively, she reached out with her hands in the darkness and began rubbing them. It wasn't until she was sure there were no bones sticking out and that everything was in place that she let out a deep breath.

Besides the pins-and-needles prickling she was starting to feel in them, her legs seemed to be doing well.

Her heart, however, was not in the same boat.

Darkness pressed in from all sides, blinding her. Her heart beat a painful rhythm in her chest. She could just imagine all the horrible monsters awaiting a breath from her fingertips. The worst part about her dark imaginings was that the monsters were REAL.

Breathing rapidly and a tad too loud for her suddenly heightened hearing, Lex clutched at her hands nervously.

'Calm down.' The one tranquil thought in her mind fought through the panic, attempting to be heard. But it was like whispering in a hurricane and expecting a person five miles away to hear. And no, no telephones or any communicative device could be used in this imaginary scenario.

A handful of deep calming breaths later, Lex shuffled slowly forward. One part of her kept shouting that she should just stay where she was. What was the point of going anywhere if she was just going to end up killed anyway? Forcefully, Lex shook her head. It was thoughts like those that would ENSURE she'd be dead.

Her fingertips brushed against a lump on the ground. Her breath caught. What was it?

Even in the darkness, somehow light managed to reflect off of the object. Squinting her eyes, she traced the contours and blinked.

It was Scar's mask.

Carefully, she picked it up, focusing on the lights the smooth surface caught. It was the one thing she could see in the darkness and she wasn't about to look away. Lex did realize, however, that the repercussions resulting from her unintentional theft would be terrifying. It wasn't like she did it on purpose. But she highly doubted Scar would hold off from killing her long enough to listen. Assuming, of course, that he understood what she was saying. Understood or cared, that is.

Prompted by the image of being crushed when the pyramid shifts, which was in the next ten minutes, Lex shakily stood and walked. One hand trailed along the stone wall as she moved slowly, unsure whether the next step might bring her to a deep hole or a high step. The dark-skinned woman had been inside the dark depths of the pyramid for some time now and her eyes were somewhat adjusted to the lack of light. But down in this new hole the blackness seems to swallow any and all light.

She continued exploring blindly for a few more moments before her eyes caught something strange on the mask in her hand. Flipping it over, Lex frowned as she tried to discern what it was that had caught her attention. Lifting the mask higher, Lex didn't attempt to stifle the gasp of surprise at a sudden revelation. The eyes...

Through the eyes of the mask, she could actually SEE in the dark.

The mask had night vision!

Immediately she pressed the mask to her face, relief gushing out of her at the returning gift of sight in the darkness. She had just begun to look around, one hand keeping the mask in place, when she felt a strange sensation moving over her face. What was that strange vacuum noise?

Her eyes widened as the mask suddenly pressed against her face of its own accord. She couldn't breathe!

Panicking, her hands began scrabbling madly at the edges of the mask, attempting to pull it off. But it wouldn't come off! It wouldn't budge at all. She could see now, but that didn't matter if she couldn't breathe! She tried to suck in air through her mouth, but there was no oxygen to get from inside the confines of the mask. It was like it had melded to her face, forming a second skin. As if that wasn't bad enough, she doubled over as she suddenly had an intense headache, the sensation akin to a thousand flaming needles piercing her skull.

Lex was careening through a hallway now, stumbling into walls and staggering off as she continued her struggles with the mask.

'Breathe! I need to BREATHE!'

POP! A whoosh of air.

And all of a sudden, oxygen began filling her deprived lungs. Lex was down on her knees, a hand pressed to the floor as she focused on gulping in as much air as she could. Lex was on the verge of tears, never having been so grateful just to breathe in her entire life.

She had barely gotten her fill of air before she heard a clicking sound. Lex didn't know what surprised her more: The fact that she instantly perceived the sound as the voice of a Predator or...

Or that she understood what he was saying.

-o-o-o-

Scar flinched visibly. What was that odd sensation running through his head? Why did it feel like... something warm? It wasn't unpleasant. It was merely... strange. He had never felt this way before, not even when he had been held tenderly in his mother's arms for the first time. The Predator blanched at the thought. What was this feeling?

The Yautja tried to shake it off, knowing that if he lost concentration during the Hunt, there would be nothing to celebrate at its end besides his own funeral. And that would just not do.

The slightest sound. A scratch of stone.

Scar froze.

Half a breath later, the Yautja seemed to meld into the stones around him as he activated his camouflage. It may seem to only mask his presence from sight, but the cloaking device was also designed to dampen the senses of the hard meats themselves. This proved useful since the Aliens did not possess optical vision, relying instead on vibrations through the air, smell, and sound.

Following his 'disappearance', a hard meat appeared just around the corner, long obsidian head twisting this way and that. It let out a low, disappointed hiss. It could have sworn it had detected the presence of the hard meats' despised foes. The Alien felt the Queen's anger at the mere thought of the Yautja. It had been the Yautja that had slain her previous colony and forced her into a life of imprisonment. The Yautja were the most defiant prey the Queen and her Alien kind had ever encountered. Their history together was long and the knowledge of the hated and feared Yautja remained forever ingrained within the minds of the Queens themselves.

Hissing once more the sinuous black form sauntered into the hall, walking without pause even as it passed hand-widths away from Scar's crouched and cloaked form. The Predator followed the hard meat with his eyes, his blood rushing at the thought that he could just reach out and impale the Alien with his Wristblade. The act would, of course, require him to first retract the blades. But he was more than sure he had the speed adequate enough to-

No.

Scar forced the rebellious muscles in his arm to remain still. It was common knowledge that more often than not, hard meats would travel in packs. It was a method that was common practice even among the Yautja warriors. And if he was right then the other one should show up right-

The Predator's eyes flicked around the hall.

-about...-

Scar's attention became riveted to a corner opposite of where the first had emerged.

-...NOW.

Just as predicted, another hard meat appeared. At the sight of it, Scar resisted the urge to frown in puzzlement. This Alien was one of the larger kinds of its brethren. Certainly not the largest but big enough. Yet it wasn't the size that befuddled the Hunter, but rather the grid-like pattern across its body. The pattern was outlined by the hard meat's own acidic blood.

With a start, Scar realized that the Alien had undergone the harsher sides of a Netgun, though it apparently hadn't managed to squeeze the hard meat to death. The Predator stared rigidly at Grid, which he aptly named the Alien, as he tried to remember who in his team had chosen to bring a Netgun. Who had it been?

Rave.

It had been Rave. The biggest of the three Unblooded warriors sent on the Hunt. Rave and Scar had been childhood friends since the former had tried to beat the latter up. Rave had always been admired by many for his brute strength and size while Scar had been admired for his combination of mind and body to win battles. Scar couldn't quite remember how it happened, but Rave had been stirring trouble as usual when Scar had decided to stand up to the brute. Rave had instantly accepted the challenge and they had fought for days.

However, Scar's intelligence and Rave's lack of one had insured his victory. Much to his surprise, Scar found Rave was smart enough to realize they would make invaluable allies. A theory proven correct as they paired themselves together time and time again in the ruthless combat practice they were run through as pups and pre-teens. Though Scar had the brains, he didn't mind having Rave lead the Hunt. Not only had Rave proven his worth with his strength, but he had also shown a great improvement in intelligence due to his friendship with Scar.

The third member of their party had not been known well by either of the two. Vohnn had been the smallest of the three, though he hadn't been graced as Scar had been with immense skill or speed for lack of strength and size. In Scar's eyes, he viewed Vohnn as an overeager, underskilled Yautja. He hadn't thought Vohnn would be ready. And he was proven right as the smaller Yautja rushed into battle only to be speared from behind by a hard meat.

But Rave... Scar hadn't expected Rave to die so easily.

It had been Rave who had added a Netgun to his arsenal, for the bigger Yautja had always preferred to make his prey suffer as much as possible. If Grid had encountered the other Predator and lived to tell about it, it could only mean one of two things. Either the Alien had used every trick it knew in order to escape.

Or Grid had killed Rave.

In reflex, Scar clenched his fists tighter. His fellow warrior's death would not go in vain.

With murderous patience, Scar waited for the obsidian hard meat to stride ever closer. This Alien seemed a bit older than the first that had been used as a distraction. Grid also appeared to be wiser as it stopped immediately in its tracks a few feet away from Scar.

The Alien's lip twitched, turning its head as it focused intently on the vibrations through the air. Something wasn't right. Something else was here in the hall. Something other than Grid and its other Alien companion. The Queen in its head hissed her annoyance. The sooner they rid themselves of the Yautja and captured the last soft meat prey, the better. After a moment of hesitation, the Alien hissed in compliance, resuming its way forward.

With each clawed step, it drew closer. With each breath, it came closer to its last.

Suddenly, Scar found he could wait no longer. The thought that Rave had died in the hands of this beast was unbearable. They had trained together. He knew how strong the bigger Yautja was and admired him fully for it. Of all three, Scar had expected the other Predator to be easily initiated as a fully blooded warrior.

He lunged, throwing a Disc before him as a distraction.

Grid blanched at the sudden appearance of a Yautja in its senses. Vibrations from an alarmingly sharp and high velocity object drew its attention, as the weapon would be the first to reach the hard meat. Dodging left, the Alien screeched in surprise as it found the body of the Predator hazardously close. Reflexively, the Alien swiped out with its claws, slashing the Predator square in the jaw.

With an angered growl, the Hunter whipped his head back to face the hard meat, its dreadlocks following the motion. He pulled back a fist and launched it forward in its rage.

Twisting out of the way, the hard meat lunged forward and clamped its jaws on Scar's forearm. Roaring out his pain, the Yautja lashed out with his metal-clad foot, catching Grid in the stomach and freeing Scar's arm. Snarling, the Alien staggered back, trying to regain its breath.

Scar growled as his retracted Wristblade swiped through the air, having every intent of spilling the hard meat's guts all over the corridor. However, the Alien had other plans. Shifting ever so slightly, the hard meat barely managed to dodge the deadly arc of the Hunter's weapon. Yet it had forgotten all about the Disc that had been launched earlier.

The vibrations of the flat flying weapon reached Grid's attention a split second too late. It flicked its tail in a vain attempt to avert the path of the serrated, clean-cutting weapon. The tip of Grid's tail had already been hacked off from its previous battle with Rave, but this time nearly half of it was sliced off, the Disc continuing to nick the side of its ribs as well.

Grid screeched out in pain, its balance temporarily nonexistent with the loss of half its tail. Not to mention the acidic blood pumping out of its gaping wound.

Deftly catching the Disc in one hand, Scar was quick to leap back and out of harm's way. His armor couldn't withstand such a large dose of the hard meat blood's destructive qualities. And though Scar's own blood prevented the Alien's from spreading like wildfire on contact with the Yautja's skin, it would still damage the nerves and layers it touched.

Watching with hardened eyes, Scar allowed the hard meat to run off. With the wound he had inflicted, the Yautja expected the Alien to come to a horribly slow and painful death. Nothing less than the Predator thought it deserved.

At that moment, the second Alien decided to try and attack him. But this one had been used as a distraction for a reason.

Clutching the Disc in his hand, Scar flipped onto his back as he saw the younger Alien leap at him. Hand held straight up, Scar sliced easily through the airborne hard meat. The Predator stood and turned in time to see the hard meat's guts and blood spew through the obscenely large slit down its middle before it touched the ground.

Scar stood there for a moment before scoffing and turning away. This one was too young. Too eager. The fight with it had not even lasted enough seconds to count with both hands.

An unworthy opponent.

The Yautja, instead, decided to follow the acidic trail Grid would be leaving behind. When it died, he would take the hard meat's head. For Rave, he would.

Yet even as he walked, a strange nagging feeling remained in his mind. What could it mean? It was at the edge of his mind, yet he couldn't grasp it.

-o-o-o-

(Scar?), The Predator repeated with a questioning trill.

Lex blinked, standing slowly as she turned to face the Hunter. Her eyes widened. Even as he sat up against the wall, she could tell this Predator was way bigger than the one she had met earlier.

The Yautja, in turn, widened his own eyes within his mask.

That was Scar's mask. Yet Scar wasn't the one wearing it.

(Who are you?), the Yautja growled angrily, (And what have you done with Scar?)


	5. Big Yautja

Disclaimer: No. No AvP still isn't owned by me. -sighs-

A/N: -grins- Haha, I was wondering if people would catch the whole 'Lex using the gun' thing. Don't worry, there's an explanation.

-smiles gratefully- I love all the constructive criticism and some of the reviews just make my day. I am glad both the Russian and Austrian fan enjoyed the story enough to continue reading it, even if English is not their first language. -grins- Thanks, guys, I really admire how you are able to understand more than one language and I have to say I just might be a little jealous.

-winks- Enjoy the story, all.

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**Before****: Scar starts to go after Lex, wanting his mask back. But the pyramid reconfigures itself. Lex falls into a pitch black hole. Scar faces off with an inexperienced hard meat and Grid, whom Scar realizes must've killed Rave, one of his Yautja companions. After a short battle, Scar allows Grid to escape with a large gushing wound on its significantly reduced tail. The Predator slowly stalks his prey. Meanwhile Lex finds out one of the mask's useful qualities: its Night Vision. Unfortunately, when she presses the mask against her face, it seems to have melded with her, cutting off her air supply. Somehow she begins breathing again, though not too soon afterwards a voice draws her attention. The voice of another Predator. And the really strange thing is she could understand him.**

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(Who are you? And what have you done with Scar!)

Lex blinked, still trying to get over the fact that she had almost died a second ago from lack of oxygen. And now... now she had to cope with facing another one of those Predators, except this one was larger. Much larger.

"I... I..." Lex floundered with her words, her eyes traveling fearfully over the Hunter's body. Even sitting as he was, he was eye level with her. The human's nerves tingled with adrenaline, her body trembling slightly. The moment it looked as if he was attempting to stand would be her cue to bolt out of there.

Due to his incredible size, he was twice as muscled as Scar. Un-flexed, his biceps were bigger than her own head. His skin was a darker shade of yellow, leaning more towards greenish-brown with mottled spots of black. He, like Scar, was adorned in strange netting that spanned across most of his exposed skin. Yet unlike Scar, this Yautja seemed to have less armor protecting his body, almost as if he was purposefully showing off his physical prowess.

At her lack of words, the Predator growled, moving his hand to grasp a wickedly curved dagger.

That's when Lex saw it. A large gaping wound had been covered by his large fist a moment before, with some sort of bluish substance stuffed into it. The gooey substance wasn't his blood, that much she knew. She had seen the first, smaller Yautja get speared through the chest by an Alien. Of course, by smaller she meant smaller by Predator standards from what she's observed. The small one had been at least seven feet tall. But anyway, the point was that his blood had been neon green. And Lex would bet anything the same went for this big guy's blood as well.

Before she realized what she was saying, the words left her mouth, "You're... you're hurt." Leading teams to trek and survey vast expanses of dangerous ground had been her expertise for years, which had only served as a foundation for her motherly instincts. However, if you had brought the damage idiotically upon yourself, you would soon realize Lex had a mother's cold discipline and indifference to match.

Until that moment, Lex hadn't realized those rules could apply to extraterrestrial life forms bent on killing as well.

The big Predator's brow ridge rose, though Lex couldn't see it underneath his mask. Had the... soft meat sounded... concerned?

(It's nothing.) He growled, head turning reflexively towards the wound on his chest before jerking his head back up to her, his dreadlocks snapping with the anger in his voice, (Now... what have you done with Scar?)

"I... I haven't done anything with him." Lex replied slowly, her attention fixated upon the rather large dent on his mask. It looked as if... as if something had attempted to ram a weapon through the top of it. And from the looks of him, it seemed whoever had done the deed had left him for dead.

The Hunter fixed her with a hard glare, free arm flexing as he imagined tearing her head from the rest of her body. Did she believe she could FOOL him? He snarled in reply, (You lie. That's HIS mask you wear.)

"His mas..." Lex trailed off, her hand reaching up to where her face should have been. The soft skin she had been seeking was replaced with the metallic coldness of the mask over it. She felt her breath catch, remembering the inability to fill her lungs with oxygen the few moments before. Suddenly scrabbling at the edges once more, Lex demanded in a slightly panicked tone, "How do you get this thing off!?"

Tilting his head a bit to the side, his metal-banded hair clinking to form a menacing curtain around his face, the giant Yautja growled, (You should never have put it on in the first place.)

"I... I didn't mean to-" Lex pried her fingers at the edges of the unwelcome metal. In one part of her mind, she realized demanding answers from an incredibly large Predator, was an extremely bad idea. But the other part that feared retaliation from the inanimate mask even more. Still, her tone lowered "How do you take it off?"

(Where is Scar?) The Hunter countered, bicep rippling as he clenched and unclenched his fist.

"He-", The woman started to say, but then paused. How was she supposed to know where the hell that other creature was? She didn't even know where she herself was. Grumbling, she continued, "…oh, I don't know. We got separated." Lex was still finding it hard to believe she was talking to one of them. And was she taking a tone with him?

The Predator bristled. Was this Ooman taking a tone? Towards HIM?

Before he could even begin to growl back, Lex saw his head snap to the side, his focus on something further down the hall. With dread, Lex slowly turned as well, praying with each breath it wasn't what she thought it was.

Her eyes caught the obsidian slickness of the creature's head.

Lex tensed.

"...shit." She exhaled shakily.

Tail thrashing behind it, the Alien took a step forward, a hiss escaping slowly through its slime covered lips. A split second longer than it should have taken, the Hunter attempted to rise to his feet. In that same instant he remembered he couldn't and cursed loudly as he ended back up on the floor. From an outsider's point of view, it would have seemed as if the big brute had halted his ascent as he rammed against some unknown barrier, rebounding back to the ground in the process.

Wondering what was going on, Lex jerked her gaze back towards the Predator. Then she saw what was stopping him. It must have been during the last time the pyramid reconfigured. But no matter how long ago it happened, it still didn't change the simple fact of the matter.

The Hunter's arm was pinned. Under an entire wall.

The fact that it was still intact spoke wonders about the Predator armor and his muscled forearm itself. But now wasn't the time to be thinking of those things.

Simultaneously, Lex snapped her attention back to the Alien as it lunged forward.

Seeing as how the larger prey was trapped, the hard meat turned to attack the one still standing. It would kill her. Or at least get her out of the picture.

Lex stood, idiotically rooted to the spot by fear as the Alien suddenly pivoted a few steps before her. It took her mind too long to register what this meant in order to get her body moving. It wasn't until she was flying through the air, her chest blossoming in pain, that the black woman even realized she had been struck with its whip-like tail.

Crashing into the far wall of the dark room she had emerged from, Lex took a moment to catch her breath so she could groan in pain. Her vision was filled with stars and splotches momentarily before she could register what was happening.

No... the Alien was NOT attacking her. She was, in fact, alone in the room.

Despite the pain it stimulated, Lex forced her body to crawl forward on hands and knees. She wanted to know what was happening. But at the same time, she wanted to run away.

'Run away to where?' Lex frowned, 'These Aliens are crawling everywhere. And this room is a dead end. Should I just wait here and rot? Rot away in a self made prison?'

Lex didn't have to answer that thought. She knew the answer deep down inside.

Biting her lip to stop any further arguments with herself, Lex struggled to her feet and peered slowly into the hall.

The Alien was circling the trapped Hunter, trying to find an opening in the trapped prey's defenses. The Yautja snarled. If his arm was free, this would not even BE a battle. He couldn't just throw a Disc. They took too long to load and by the time it was thrown, the hard meat would have struck. He couldn't go on the offensive with any of the weapons he had, not with the way he was pinned down. He could only guard with the personalized blade held in his huge palm. His last defense would be the Wristblade. IF he had enough time to draw it.

Hissing, the hard meat thrust its jaws forward. The Predator immediately swiped with the blade, nicking the creature on the side of the head as it drew back. The Hunter couldn't help the pleased grimace on his face as he spotted the Alien's yellowish blood trickle down the side of its face.

(You're going to have to try harder than that.) The Yautja growled, his grip on the hilt of the blade tightening.

The Alien drew back its black lips, an impatient snarl emanating from its bony throat. The Predator, in the meantime, swung his armored foot. The blow connected with the hard meat's oblong head, throwing the creature off its feet from the mere force alone.

Once it had scrambled back upright, the Alien came back with a vengeance. In the blink of an eye, its tail blade whipped forth and impaled the Hunter's free arm to the stone wall behind him. Snarling his pain, the Predator didn't have time to retaliate before the Alien sprang forward. It landed with clawed feet over the Yautja's knees, its resulting hold and weight rendering the Hunter's legs effectively useless.

The Hunter was helpless. This time his growl was one of frustration.

Was this how his Hunt would end? Him, pinned to the wall, his wounds and the pyramid working against him as he is slaughtered by one measly hard meat? A dozen, maybe. Two dozen, perhaps. But ONE single hard meat. The Predator was baffled by the absurdity of it all.

Through the mask, his sage-colored eyes were glaring death in the face, literally. He would remain defiant to the end. His mandibles flexed as he prepared to utter his last, deafening roar.

And a deafening sound it was.

It echoed clear through the stone structure, bouncing off walls only to continue down another passage before dying down in volume. The roar was loud enough to give even the Alien pause. But the moment it ended the hard meat opened its own jaws, preparing to send its second jaw straight through the huge Yautja's skull.

But the end never came.

Out of the side of his vision, he spotted movement. The soft meat was a brown and red blur as she crashed headlong into the Alien. The Predator's bafflement was interrupted by the sudden explosion of pain in his arm as the tail blade was forcefully yanked out. But even through the pain, the Yautja forced himself to continue watching the surprising battle unfolding before him.

Both human and hard meat skidded to the far end of the hall, where the corridor grew into a cavernous room. Unfortunately for Lex, it took that long for her mind to catch up with her actions.

'What the hell am I doing!' Her mind screamed at her. She had gone through this maze from hell, watching her team die. Watching every damn human around her fall. Why had she acted now? To save some humanoid alien who was probably, even now, plotting her eminent demise?

The Alien didn't wonder what she was doing. It was too busy struggling to get to its feet. Though... if it hadn't been mad before, there was no mistaking it was pissed off NOW.

When all her mind continued doing was shouting at her, Lex promptly tuned it out. She had done it just in time as she saw the tail arcing down to impale her. Reacting instinctively, she rolled, cringing as she felt the impact on the ground beside her head. She felt dust and pebbles showering over her features, but she forced her attention back to the ebony-armored beast before her.

The Alien crouched over her, its skeletal chest a few hands-breadth from her. It was close. Too close.

Jaws reared back and lunged for her face. A panicked breath escaped her mouth as she twisted her head out of the way, only to have to dodge the other way from another lunge. If she stayed where she was, she soon wasn't going to have a head TO move.

Through the edge of her vision, Lex spotted a large wall on the other side of the room. The Alien hissed and clawed at her, catching her just beneath the jaw line. Gagging, the black woman tuned into her thoughts for a split second. One word filled her mind.

'MOVE.'

Clenching her teeth, Lex steeled herself before bashing her mask-covered forehead against the Alien's face. With a screech, it stumbled back, unintentionally giving Lex her mobility back. Leaping onto her feet, Lex ignored a bout of dizziness as she delivered a swift kick before sprinting for the wall. A satisfying 'thunk' of the Alien's head snapping from her hit trailed in her wake. However, the thing's chitin armor was strong and the Alien itself was fast. Lex could only hope she'd even the odds once they were on the wall face.

Grimacing from multiple wounds, the Yautja found he couldn't pry his eyes from the scene. The soft meat was running again. Perhaps she had regretted intervening? Oddly, the Predator did not find himself filled with outrage at the disruption. It had been a unfair battle, if it could have been called such, and she had thrust herself into the thick of it. The Predator blinked. The Ooman was a female. Of that he was sure. And yet she fought...?

If his arm had been free, he knew he would've just torn her apart for the simple outrage of wearing a Yautja mask. For, as usual, he was a Yautja known to act before he could wait for his thought processing to catch up. He'd be the male Yautja standing with a bloodied knife in his hand BEFORE he realized the other guy had just been joking.

But, having his first reaction restrained by physical obstacles, the young Predator found himself actually considering his thought processing, for once.

It was a rare occasion where a Yautja's life would be saved from a dishonorable death. It was rarer still when the person who saved that Yautja's life turned out to be an Ooman. They were usually the ones attempting to fight the proud race during their hunts. Still, when such instances did occur, there was an immediate life debt laid out on the table. Grumbling darkly, Rave realized this was one of those times.

(She is weak... but I will not leave a life debt unpaid.) The thoughts slipped through the Hunter's mandibles without meaning to.

His green eyes blinked in bafflement at a sudden realization. Was he... was he hoping the soft meat would win?

Adrenaline pumped through her as she felt the slightest tingling in the hairs at the back of her neck. Swerving in her path, she cursed as she felt the Alien skid past her, crouching as it tried to correct its headings. Surprisingly, the mask did not hinder her breathing in the least. The wall was close. Unfortunately, Lex could feel the Alien hot on her heels in pursuit. Lex pumped her arms as she ran faster, dust kicking up behind her as she blazed across the floor.

She didn't have time to start a slow ascent. She couldn't stop without the thing ripping her apart.

Gritting her teeth, Lex counted her steps on her speedy approach. On the third bound she leaped forth with all the strength she had. All the years of training and climbing added extra energy. In one swift motion, her leg muscles coiled and unleashed the raw power she had trained within them. An eternity passed as she hung in the air, arms stretched out for the rough catch.

With a loud expelled breath, Lex slammed into the wall some twenty or thirty feet in the air. Hands and feet scrambling for a good hold on the rough surface, Lex risked a glance towards the ground. Since WHEN had she been able to jump so high?

Lex decided that now was not the time to be arguing about illogical happenings when her life was on the line. The hard meat, in the meantime, was staring up at her, prowling on the ground. For a moment Lex wondered if maybe the thing couldn't climb. Later she would undoubtedly agree that had been one of the most idiotic things to ever cross her mind.

A screech and a loud 'THUD' later, Lex found the thing had landed a couple of feet below her, urging her to find hand and foot holds even faster.

In its mind, the Alien heard the Queen hissing her fury. He was to kill the Yautja. The Hunter's death was ALWAYS priority. Half its mind was struggling to obey her, but the other half was too intoxicated by the smell of the prey's fear. When the enraged Queen calmed enough to realize she would not be reaching her drone anytime soon, she reluctantly conceded. This Alien could take care of the soft meat. But she would send another to ensure the Hunter's death.

'Another will come.' She hissed to appease her own anger, 'Soon.'

-o-o-o-

Scar crouched on his heels, one clawed hand tracing the grooves on the floor. His quarry's pace had altered.

It was on the run.

But why now?

The tingling feeling in the back of his head persisted. Throughout the whole pursuit, his thoughts kept trailing back to that same, insistent feeling. He was starting to get annoyed now. He was annoyed that he could not figure out what the sensation meant, even though it was at the tip of his tongue. And he was annoyed that he was annoyed in the first place. There was no room on the Hunt for something so... distracting.

And the fact that he was still maddened by the fact that the Ooman had been able to take his mask away did not help his mood at all. It was infuriating. The masks were specially made for each individual Yautja. Some had theirs made by master craftsmen while others had the skill enough to create their own. Scar was one of those few whose brawn had not overcome his brain and creativity.

He had MADE his mask.

The masks were meant to follow a Yautja warrior through life. If it scarred, the damage would remain to be proudly displayed. If it broke down too much for wear, the remains were melted into scrap in order to create a new one. But having one's mask break down so much was highly discouraged, for then the true marking created to prove one's fully blooded status would melt with it, leaving only an artificial mark afterwards to take its place on the new mask.

But to lose one's mask in its entirety... Scar may as well have lost an entire limb.

Not only did the mask contain five different optical sensors, but it also regulated breathing in difficult atmosphere and was the prime reticule targeting system for his Plasmacaster.

He was just lucky this planet's atmosphere was tolerable, otherwise he would have had to use the spare breathing apparatus inside his med kit. And without the thermal netting he wore beneath and across his skin, the weather was made slightly bearable as well.

He just couldn't believe... HOW had she used the gun? And HOW had he allowed her to take his mask!

Suddenly an earth-shattering roar filled the entire hall for a few breaths. Scar's amber eyes widened. That roar. It belonged to a fellow Yautja. And not just any Yautja.

(Rave...) Scar uttered in disbelief.

Raking his claw beside the hard meat's tracks, Scar pushed off into a fast sprint, his direction leading him towards the origin of the roar. He hadn't mistaken the sound and pitch of the cry. It had been one of defiance and finality. A roar that would only be sounded in the face of death itself.

His fist clenching, Scar quickened his pace.


	6. Mask Returned

Disclaimer: I don't pretend I own AvP. I just pretend the plot headed in a different direction...

A/N: Haha, kool. I'm glad people are enjoying the story.

-_grins widely_- And yes, Russian reviewer, I do envy those who can understand more languages than just their native tongue. -_turns gaze to include Michael_- Especially if they still make a good effort to understand. I only have English and what little Spanish that I learned in highschool. -_looks thoughtful and points out with an appreciative smile_- Knowing more than one language is useful, makes things interesting, AND is a nice ability to have.

I especially wished I understood Russian when I stumbled onto this wicked kool Predator site. Unfortunately for me, it was all in Russian so I didn't understand a word. The pics were still awesome, though.

Thanx all for reviewing. -grins- Oh yeah, and yes, Rave is that big Yautja also known as Celtic.

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**Before****: Rave half-believes Lex killed Scar, since she was wearing his mask. He's pinned, though, so he doesn't immediately kill her. An Alien interrupts their meeting, mercilessly striking Lex out of the corridor. Rave is eventually rendered helpless, and he roars out defiantly. Much to his surprise, Lex saves him, unconsciously adding a lift debt as well as doubts to kill her in Rave's mind. Lex scrambles for even ground on a massive rock wall. In the meantime, Scar still tracks Grid. He hears Rave's roar and begins sprinting towards his location.**

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Scar's eyes narrowed as he realized the tracks of the hard meat he was trailing actually headed in the same direction he was sprinting. Towards the direction Rave had given a roar of such finality.

He knew he should be thinking of his own safety. Of his own trophies. Of his own fully blooded status and getting out of there alive.

But what he found himself thinking was of Rave and of the big brute's safety.

(Damn hot-head. He probably got HIMSELF cornered.) Scar found himself shaking his head, an ironic twist to his mandibles even as he feared for the big idiot's life.

Strength was a field Rave excelled in. Now if only the same could be said for intelligence and patience...

Growling, Scar skidded to a halt as the trail led him to a doorway. His dark braids swung forward, even as his body's momentum came to a standstill. Then as if second-guessing, the metal-banded strands swung back to hang low around the Predator's stoic features. He would have kept running. But there was a slight problem. The entrance led directly into open space with a drop that promised many broken bones. If it didn't take your life first, that is.

But it wasn't the drop that bothered him as much as it was the occupants of the vast room before him. A young hard meat Drone was scrambling up the rock face, seemingly trying to catch its prey. The silver glint of a face mask at first led Scar to believe it was Rave leading the young Alien tauntingly in a chase, as it was Rave's way to play with his prey before killing. That was before Scar factored in a few things.

First of all, the person scrambling up before the Alien was too small and too frenzied in motion to be Rave.

Secondly, the person was NOT a Yautja. It was, in fact, that very same Ooman he had encountered earlier.

And last of all, with an outraged trill, Scar realized that was HIS MASK on her face.

His previous quarry was utterly forgotten.

-o-o-o-

A pained cry was wrenched from her throat as she felt unrelenting claws dig into and around her padded leather boot. The grip had been strong enough to pierce through hide and some centimeters of skin. Clutching a stronger hold on the rock wall with her hands, she drew up her free leg and drove it downward with as much force as possible.

With a 'snap', the hard meat's head jerked to one side, its hold on her leg lost. Grimacing, Lex forced her wounded leg to take her weight as she scaled the wall even higher, putting more distance between her and the blood-crazed Alien below her. As her hand was reaching higher up for another hold, she immediately jerked it back. Her next breath was sharp, tinged with pain as she drew her hand before her, eyes tracing the slightly defined red streak along the appendage. She jerked her gaze upwards, catching the glint of a weapon above her.

It was one of those Predator's shuriken things. One of those thin, sharp star-edged disks that they threw was currently embedded in the rock face an arm length from her face.

Lex gasped as she felt the Alien's whip-like tail wrap tightly around her midsection. It was trying to pull her off! One tug had her scrambling for a stronger hold. But this type of surface didn't lend anything more stable for her to cling to. As a last ditch effort, she grabbed the Disc, ignoring the spiking pain of the curved edge slicing into her palm.

With a final tug, the Alien had her off the wall, its tail bringing her helpless form closer to its jaws and her inevitable death.

Lex couldn't think. Didn't have time to think.

She could only act.

-o-o-o-

Rave gaped at the scene before him. The Ooman stood no chance now as she was tugged away from the wall, held suspended in the air only by the hard meat's tail.

The big Yautja could only watch, unable to get anywhere with his arm pinned as it was. If it wasn't… what would he do? Help? Or simply kill her? The greenish-brown skinned Yautja shook his head with a low growl, his hair whipping around in a mirror imitation of his thoughts. He was not used to spending so much time thinking on soft meat prey.

(Looks like there may not be a life debt... to BE paid...) He said slowly, unsure of his feelings on the matter. Never before had someone intervened in a battle that was so out of his favor. Never before had he BEEN in a battle that had been so out of his favor. Not since... not since his childhood when he had met Scar.

And now, the only other person to have assisted him in any way was a soft meat. A soon to be dead one, at that.

(Maybe... maybe it is for the best...) Rave, though his confused and irritated clicks sounded hollow in his own ears.

-o-o-o-

Scar was transfixed by the sight before him. Never had he seen a soft meat retaliate with such vigor.

Though she had lost her hold on the wall, he could still see her struggling against her captor's vise-like grip. Even though for it to let go would spell her death on the floor so far below, she still fought.

Why didn't she just give up? In his mind, it seemed like a losing battle. A soft meat against a Drone? If it didn't accidentally kill her, it would drag her unconscious body back to the center of the temple, where Scar was sure the egg chamber was located. She was just lucky time had not passed enough for the Drones to mature into Warriors. Then she would have been dead hours ago.

Scar's fist clenched as he crouched down, one hand resting against the door frame. Maybe her fate was sealed, but what was HE to do? Would Scar wait 'till the Drone killed her? Would he just stand there, watching? All simply for a grudge? All because of the impossible matter of her even WEARING his mask, much less having it in her possession in the first place. Someone else wearing another's mask was unheard of. Impossible.

So why was it this Ooman was wearing his? She wasn't even the SAME race.

His clawed hand dug into the ground he crouched on, his thoughts a whirlwind with the Ooman at its center.

-o-o-o-

Lex blinked blearily as her vision grew out of focus. For some unknown reason, she could feel facts pouring into her head, though it was hard to sift through them as the Alien whipped her around. The obsidian skinned creature was climbing higher, her in tow.

Then suddenly, she knew exactly how to hold the Disc in her hands. She knew what it was called. She knew its qualities. But most of all...

Lex knew how she could kill the Alien with one swipe.

As the Alien whipped her around, Lex patiently waited for her chance.

'Closer...' She thought with gritted teeth, 'I need to be closer to its head.'

Suddenly her wish was granted. One swing of its tail brought the bound captive closer to the sneering guise of the Alien. Lex would not waste such a chance. With a thrust of her arm and a swift flick of her wrist, the Disc sliced cleanly through the Alien's head. Just as she had seen Scar do it. Just as... she had somehow seen it in her head.

Despite her victory, Lex frowned. How had she gotten all of this alien information all of a sudden?

Before she could contemplate further on the matter, Lex's body tensed as the dead Alien's grip on her didn't loosen. With rising panic, Lex understood her situation. Here she was, perched hundreds of feet from the ground, and she was stuck wrapped in the only thing keeping her aloft. Not only that, but the Alien's body was slowly slipping from the rock face. It would plummet back to the ground.

And Lex would fall right down with it.

-o-o-o-

Rave stared. She had... defeated it?

But what might have been hope stirring within him was instantly quelled as he took in the situation. The Drone was quickly stiffening in its death. Its grip on her did not waiver. AND it was falling.

The Predator tugged on his pinned arm. But it remained stuck, as it had the other hundred times he had tried.

His mandibles clenched in frustration. Why did he care about saving her so much? Was it just to repay the life debt he owed?

But there was another question that pounded in his mind, relentless in having itself heard.

WHY had she saved his life to begin with?

-o-o-o-

Scar blanched. She was falling!

Reacting instinctively, Scar threw himself from the doorway, one arm hooking and catching the edge. Clawed feet and hand gouged into the rock, the young Yautja warrior slid down the wall at an almost uncontrollable pace. His mandibles clenched as bits and pieces of stone flung back up at him and everywhere else as he continued his drop, his clawed grip on the wall the only thing slightly slowing and controlling his descent.

Somehow he managed to streak down past the Ooman and the deadweight hard meat still clinging to her. Deciding he had gone far enough, Scar slammed his other clawed hand into the wall before he bunched his muscles and sprang away from the wall entirely, launching himself in a trajectory that would intercept the soft meat's.

Lex's eyes focused only on the tail wrapped around her. Hand still clutching the Disc, she adamantly hacked at the hardened black coil, hoping to free herself before the unplanned landing. Maybe she could maneuver herself to land in a way that would... NOT kill her. If that was possible from this height.

But she didn't let herself focus on that thought. What she had to do right now was free herself. Would it help? Would it work at all? Lex didn't know. But she had to try something.

Lex had just severed through the bone, her hand jerking away as its yellow acidic blood spewed out, when something slammed hard into her side. All at once, the breath was knocked out of her, but at the same time she gasped with surprise. Her descent was slowed as she suddenly found herself going in a slightly different direction. Instead of falling straight down, she was descending at a less steep angle. But that was not the only thing to baffle her.

She was startled to find herself in the muscle-bound arms of a Predator. As her eyes traveled up to meet Amber ones, she realized this was not just ANY Hunter. It was Scar. A slightly queasy feeling hit her stomach. Lex wasn't sure what she should feel. Grateful for him saving her, or terrified of what he would do now that he had found her.

The moment Scar's armored feet had reached the ground, his muscled legs absorbing the shock of the fall, Lex pushed herself out of his arms. This made the Yautja jerk his head to immediately observe her. Would she attempt to run off with his mask again? Or anything else of his?

But that, in fact, was not the reason.

Apprehensive, Lex stared at the armored Predator before her with worried eyes. The mask muffled the sound of her quick breaths, her heart still attempting to slow down from the past adrenaline-filled moments.

The moment Scar's eyes laid upon his reflection in the mask's visor, his anger returned, full force. The painstaking toil of creating it flashed briefly in his mind. The relentless taunting he had received from fellow peers at the "plainness" of his smooth design. The way others had bullied him when he was a pup, beating him, taking and destroying his possessions. It all shot through his head at once, and in an instant he felt his blood boil and his vision cloud over with red. All through out his childhood he had to fight for what was his. He had to fight to keep what was his. To have his precious mask to be taken by a pitiful soft meat…

Unacceptable.

(WHY…) Scar snarled, taking a step forward menacingly, (did you TAKE my mask!)

Lex stumbled back two steps. To say his large form was slightly intimidating would be an understatement. But with the anger rolling off him in waves, Lex began to remember why the Aliens weren't the only things she should watch out for. But she had seen this Hunter mad before, and this new level he had taken it to was an extreme she had never thought possible. He was trembling with so much fury even the metal bands on his dreadlocks clanked together as they shook.

Terror stilled her voice and widened her eyes as Scar swiped at her with his claws. Ducking, Lex backed away another step. Within the mask, her jaw was slackened in bafflement. If she hadn't moved, that swing would have taken her head off. She couldn't believe it. Was this Predator really trying to kill her? Yeah, sure, he and his buddies had made mincemeat of Weyland's men earlier, but her recent encounter with this particular Predator hadn't been that bad.

Except that she had mistakenly taken his mask with her. Something he seemed to still be very sore about.

Deciding maybe it would be best to leave, the black woman started to turn around, preparing to run flat out. But Scar's eyes narrowed as he realized she planned to escape with his mask STILL on. Growling, his muscled arm snatched the front of her parka before yanking her off her feet once again. Lex's mind whirled at a blinding pace, her thoughts furiously trying to sort themselves out. The situation was agonizingly familiar. Lex dangling in the Predator's grasp, fear filling her as she realized he just may have decided to kill her after all.

Did he save her just to kill her? Would anything she say stop him!?

Scar snarled as he pulled her closer to his face, his mandibles twitching in agitation. Would she remain insolently silent after stealing from him not once, but TWICE now? Soft meat were hunters, as were his species. And with the exceptions of their obvious limits in strength and size, Oomans still remained one of the top hunter-type species in the Yautja's favored lists. Scar had believed it was their intelligence that had ensured their place as one of the prized trophies. So then why would one be foolish enough to take the possessions of a Yautja? Why would she take HIS possessions during one of the most IMPORTANT trials in a young Yautja's life!? At the thought of how terribly his Hunt could have gone, Scar's choking grip tightened around her neck. What was to stop him from killing her right now, in revenge?

That's when a familiar voice gave a loud and short bark, its tone commanding.

Blinking, his mind pulling itself from the infuriating haze of red he rarely fell into, Scar loosened his grip and jerked his head to look at a passage leading into the room. And sure enough there, sitting bloodied by the corridor's wall, was Rave.

-o-o-o-

Rave's throat had constricted painfully as he saw Scar save the Ooman only to crush her in his death-like grip. The soft meat must've angered the Yautja greatly to have provoked such an anger within Scar. But the big Yautja could not stand idly by as the one to whom he owed a life debt was to be choked carelessly by a fellow warrior. This would not be fulfilling the life debt.

It would be saving the soft meat's life from an end instilled by foolishness and stupidity.

(NO!) Rave repeated, his bark louder this time.

The big Yautja was not sure how to feel as Scar dropped Lex absentmindedly on the floor, his surprised gaze fixed on Rave himself. All he knew was that relief was mixed in there somewhere. The only thing that would make him happier was if his arm was free.

-o-o-o-

Scar found himself dumbfounded, the soft meat at his feet utterly forgotten.

(Rave...?) He said aloud, his tone half-hopeful.

Lex heard the name, her mind subconsciously filing the name away as something else to remember. But the woman knew a distraction when she saw one, and this was definitely one of the best ones she could have hoped for at the moment. Knowing the Predator would only be made angrier if she left with something of his once more, Lex grabbed at the sides of the mask, tugging it fervently.

Much to her surprise, it popped free, making her stare at it a few breaths from mere amazement alone. 'Well NOW it works' Her mind scoffed incredulously. Why had it been so hard to take off earlier? But she shook off her curiosity with ease, not sticking around to ask herself what the mask had done to her. For there was no doubt in that simple fact.

Somehow... somehow, the mask had CHANGED her.

She didn't know how. Or why. Lex only knew that staying with the Predator right now might not be such a good idea given his... temperament.

Noticing movement, Scar turned his attention downwards, only to receive a tremendous surprise as the soft meat delivered a swift kick to his temple. The Yautja staggered down to one knee, his gaze darkened a bit before he shook off the effects of the blow. The hit had been aimed with much accuracy towards one of the Yautja's few weaknesses. Had it been a lucky, glancing blow? Or a deliberately planned one?

He didn't have a chance to ponder as she darted off to a side passage. Scar clicked his mandibles in a curse. The old ones had been diligent in riddling the pyramid with many trails and passages. For once, he began to wish they hadn't been AS thorough.

Before he could attempt to chase after her, the structure rumbled its ominous warning before it began to shift once more. Scar switched his attention to his trapped comrade, acknowledging the fact that the life of a clansman was always priority. His boot connected with something metallic as he made his way over, and Scar's heart skipped a beat as his amber gaze locked with his hollow mask beneath him.

Scar's eyes flickered over to the corridor the Ooman's feet had led her. 'She had... LEFT his mask? Actually left it for him?' For some odd reason, the thought was enough to take Scar aback, pausing his movements before the shouts of his comrade brought him back to the situation before them.

(The CURSED wall refuses to move!) Rave growled aloud, his eyes taking in the moving environment around him.

Scooping the mask and putting it on without another thought, Scar jogged over to the bigger warrior, brow ridge crinkled in concern. If Rave wasn't free soon, the ceiling near the entrance to the passage would shut, crushing the pinned Yautja beneath it.

Rave, unfortunately, noticed this little fact as well as he snapped, (If you stand there gawking all day, Scar, I just may have to return from the Grave of Warriors and impale you with a Combistick myself!)

Grunting with slight amusement, Scar crouched beside the trapped Yautja, his hands slipping underneath the wall that pinned Rave's arm. 'This shouldn't be too hard,' Scar commented to himself. He was a young Yautja warrior, after all, and they weren't bred as Hunters all their lives to be mistaken as weak. Breathing in deeply, Scar pulled with all his strength, his arms straining to lift the two ton weight of the solid stone wall. He felt his leg muscles bunch as they took the brunt of the enormous strain, his clawed feet digging into the hardened stone beneath them. His start had been slow, but it became apparent that the wall WAS in fact lifting from the bigger Yautja's pinned arm.

The corridor's ceiling was closing in on them now, and Rave was all too glad to yank his arm out, barreling into Scar as he proceeded to get both of them away from its crushing grip. As the ceiling shut with a thick finality, the rumbling of the pyramid stopped, allowing both Yautja's to catch their breath.

(You're welcome) Scar said stiffly, shaking dust loosely from his dreadlocks as he stood.

He was too busy stretching his muscles to notice Rave rising tensely beside him. It wasn't until Scar noticed Rave's raised arm that he realized a blow was coming. Deflecting the big Yautja's fist with a swipe of his forearm, Scar stepped back and demanded, (What was THAT for?)

(THAT was for nearly finishing the Ooman in a fit of rage, which is something I never thought would overcome you. Rage does not fit you well, blood brother.) Rave commented bemusedly, lowering his clenched fist.

(What would it have mattered?) Scar replied, his gaze downcast as he felt a surge of guilt from what he had almost done, though he dared not show it. He continued, (She was merely a soft meat.)

Rave sighed loudly, turning his own gaze away. It was with some difficulty that he finally said, (Yes... but a soft meat I owe a life debt to.)


	7. Deadly Dagger

Disclaimer: Nope. I do not own AvP.

A/N: -grins- It's great that people like the story. I have to admit, I was sort of disappointed with how all the Predators died in the movie. Even Scar died in the end.

I know this might sound evil, but I can't promise no one will die in this story. -smirks-

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**Before****: Lex finds Rave. Saves his life and kills his would-be Alien killer. Lex almost falls to her death but Scar saves HER, but almost kills her afterwards when his anger takes a hold of him. Rave stops him. Lex escapes, leaving the mask for Scar to take back. Pyramid shifts and Scar frees Rave. Rave tells Scar about the life debt he owes the Ooman female.**

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Scar barked out in laughter, (A soft meat? That you owe a life debt to? You can't be serious!)

He continued his amused trilling for five seconds. But he quickly caught the smoldering gaze of his bigger companion and the realization that Rave might not be joking quelled his chuckling immediately.

Scar stood straight, his amber gaze locked with Rave's green one. His tone faltering in disbelief, Scar said, (Nooo...) His mandible hung slack-jawed.

The smaller Predator couldn't believe it. Rave, the huge hulking greenish-brown skinned Yautja warrior before him, owed a life debt. A life debt to a female Ooman? It was nearly impossible to believe. Brow ridge raised questioningly, Scar gave Rave an incredulous look. He couldn't be serious. The big Predator HAD to be joking.

Rave could see mirth was threatening to overtake his smaller companion once more. So Scar still found it funny, did he? Snarling, Rave clonked Scar roughly on the head before the smaller one could dodge. Grumbling sorely, Scar made a harder effort to restrain the laughter that threatened to overtake him. Obviously, the bigger Yautja was NOT lying.

(Yes. I AM serious.) Rave snapped, rubbing the arm that had been nearly maimed by a wall a while ago. At the moment, with the doubtful look he still caught lurking in Scar's amber gaze, Rave almost wished he WAS joking. But a life debt was not something to be taken lightly. He knew that and Scar knew that.

Ignoring the pinpricks of pain from his wounds, Rave turned towards the passageway the soft meat had gone, his green gaze then shifting sideways at the tawny-skinned Yautja beside him.

With an exasperated sigh, Scar's shoulders slightly sagged as the realization of the events entered heavily into his mind. If the soft meat prevented Rave's life blood from spilling then... then the colossal Yautja would not let her die before his debt was repaid. Despite some of Rave's rash and brainless actions, he truly was a Yautja bounded by honor and his word. He was known by many through brawls he would usually incite himself, but he was also known to have never told a lie in his life. Joking was a different story. But this... THIS, Scar realized, was _no_ joke.

(I will go after her.) Rave rumbled with finality, leaving the rest unsaid and hanging in the air.

Scar cocked his head slightly as he received the meaning of what was unsaid. Rave would go after her to repay the life debt. But... he had not mentioned Scar. The gigantic greenish-brown skinned Predator was silently asking Scar's decision. Did Scar want to go with Rave? To find and possibly work WITH the Ooman female? If this had been any other Yautja, any other newly blooded warrior, Scar would have scoffed. For what need did he have to go on such a pointless side mission? The Hunt was all that mattered. The Hunt, and finding the perfect trophies to bring home.

But this was Rave. Rave was asking Scar to lend his strength and wisdom in such a strange decision.

So then... what DID Scar think of the whole ordeal?

The silence stretched on for a bit before Rave repeated, his tone gruffer, (I WILL go after her.)

His shoulders set, the greenish-brown skinned Hunter began to stride forward. But before he could go more than half a step, the big Yautja found a restraining hand clamped on his shoulder.

(No,) Scar said, making Rave's head whip angrily towards him, a growl on his mandibles.

Before the bigger Yautja could mistake his meaning and slice his hand off, the tawny-skinned Yautja grinned slightly and said more clearly, (No, you are wrong. WE will go after her. Together, we will find her.)

Slowly, a smug expression replaced the anger that had flashed in Rave's sage-colored eyes.

Slapping Rave's back companionably, Scar stalked a few steps ahead before commenting over his shoulder, (Besides, I remember how well you marked in the tracking tests. Without me, you wouldn't find her until she was already dead.)

Scar heard the heavy footsteps behind him but was ready for the cuff in the back of the head for that remark. He took it well, and even barked shortly in laughter at the same time Rave did, smirking when the tense air between them melted to the more agreeable comrade-in-arms air they had forged long ago.

They WOULD find her. And if Scar could help it, though he did not completely agree with it, he would not allow the life debt to have been made in vain.

-o-o-o-

Lex's sigh sounded harsh in her ears. Why did it seem like she kept making the wrong decisions time and time again? But it's not exactly like she could've actually STAYED with those two Predators. The big guy was unpredictable and Scar… was not agreeable. Not when she had accidentally stolen his mask. Not to mention she was part of the group which had taken their guns as well.

"Hey, maybe I'll get lucky." Lex spoke aloud to herself, "Maybe he won't kill me on sight."

She scoffed a breath later. Right. He didn't seem to have a problem earlier with doing just that. The only reason he stopped was because of the bigger Yautja shouting at him. Lex had heard what Scar had shouted back in reply, his voice filled with surprise. What had he said? Rave?

So then the big guy's name is Rave.

"Wow. Now that I know the Predators' names, I can die happy with their spears wrenched through my gut." Lex commented dryly, her hands flopping to her sides at the absurdity of it all, "And not only do I suddenly KNOW all sorts of crazy names, but I also feel something strange locked away in my brain. Like that mask thing just dumped a whole bunch of crap into my head. Great. This is just great. My head's suddenly been turned into a universal toilet bowl. I'm also TALKING to myself."

Lex gave a small, hysterical laugh. She slumped down against the wall, shoving her head into her hands as she continued, "I'll just have a small mental breakdown right HERE."

She tried to make a mental tally of all the things she suddenly knew since putting the mask on. Somehow, she understood the Predator's language. Information just invaded her mind, like how to kill that Alien thing that held her. But wait, it wasn't just an Alien. Nope. Now Lex knew it was also called a hard meat and Kainde Amedha by the Predators, who were called Yautja; AND the hard meat that was trying to kill her was apparently a Drone intending to drag her off to be baby food. And she was an Ooman. AND the gun was called a Plasmacaster and the spear-thing was called a Combistick and... and...

"Oh man..." Lex groaned, pressing the flat of her palm against her closed eyes, "I do NOT want to think about this right now."

After all, she had to survive this PLACE before she could even begin to think about attempting to survive a mental breakdown.

'Okay, I just need to breathe.' She thought to herself, 'Just breathe...'

Unfortunately for Lex, her attempts to follow her own advice were interrupted as she felt something warm drip on her shoulder. Her face scrunching in disgust as she tried to wipe away the slimy substance, Lex demanded aloud, "What the hell..."

Her face transformed into one of fear as she recognized the clear, gooey substance. It was saliva. And not just anyone's saliva. More of it dripped down the side of her cheek.

Lex's breath literally stopped within her suddenly constricted throat.

She didn't dare look up. But she had to. She HAD to.

Eyes wide, Lex forced herself to slowly bring her gaze above her.

And there, hugging the wall mere hand widths above her head, Lex's brown terror-stricken eyes met with the deadly ebony form.

For a moment, Lex wholeheartedly wished she would wake up in some insane asylum somewhere. Somewhere far away where all of this was some sort of horrible nightmare. She thought she would even prefer a mental breakdown to facing one of the hard meats again.

But that was before something... some sort of knowledge deposited in her mind by the mask... unleashed itself. She would not die. She would not LET herself die.

She would not because she had faced death so many times in this labyrinth she had lost count. Because she had watched everyone die around her. She would not because she was tired. Tired of death knocking around without her kicking it's ass through the proverbial door.

And she would not die because suddenly… suddenly she felt her body warp itself into…

…Something more…

Images of training flitted through her mind. Images of stances and of forms that were utilized to perform the simplest of attack and defensive moves. All of this merged with whatever self-defense she knew she had learned in Earth. With all that knowledge combined, Lex found herself grinning.

Eyes widened with a sudden surge of energy, Lex clenched her fists and launched herself at the surprised hard meat above her, a guttural cry escaping her throat.

-o-o-o-

Both Yautja paused, eyes widened within their mask. After their brief, startled moment, they continued at a brisk jog.

Rave looked a bit confused as he asked slowly, (Was it just me... or did I just hear-)

(A Yautja battle cry?) Scar interrupted the other, nodding, (Yes, I believe we just did.)

(But it also sounded like the... the Ooman female.) Rave noted aloud, still frowning in puzzlement.

A grunt escaped a suddenly tense Scar as he said, (It was.)

(But how could she have copied it so well?) Rave rumbled curiously. Not only had she never heard a proper one, this soft meat couldn't have known how to use the muscles in her throat needed for such a pitch.

Normally, Scar would have redirected the question back at Rave. After all, what better way to get the big brute to start using his head than by thinking things aloud to himself? But right now, Scar was in no mood for such lessons. Instead, the tawny-skinned Yautja replied snappishly, (Probably my mask did something to her. How she even put it on, I'll never know. But from your earlier accounts, I know it's how she understood what we were saying.)

Finally catching onto Scar's flat tone, Rave went from surprise at what Scar had just said to growling lightly, (You're not still thinking of killing her, are you?)

The greenish-brown Yautja had his arms crossed over his broad chest, his brow-ridge raised questioningly. Of course, he had to stop running first. Which would make Scar stop running which was, obviously, the whole point.

Tossing a glance over his shoulder, Scar sighed exasperatedly and stopped in his tracks as well. Sometimes Rave really was running on a one track mind. Get him focused enough on one thing and he damn well would complete it, despite the consequences that would ensue.

Rave demanded a response with an impatient growl, knowing they shouldn't be wasting any time. But he had to know. No point in finding the Ooman if his comrade merely meant to waste her the moment they got their hands on her.

(No.) Scar grunted at first. But when Rave snorted in blatant disbelief, Scar corrected himself, (Fine. Yes. Yes, I WAS thinking about killing her.)

He thought about leaving her mangled and bloodied corpse to rot. However, now that he had his mask back and the killing lust wasn't making his blood boil, Scar realized that to a smaller degree he really didn't care about killing her. Much.

Before his companion could do anything rash, the tawny-skinned Yautja rumbled defeatedly, (But... I won't.)

(How do I know?) Rave demanded, walking stiffly to where Scar stood.

(How?) Scar whipped his head to look up at the bigger Yautja, his mandibles twisted into a wry grin under his mask, (Because I'd have to skin you first, and I'm not looking forward to cleaning your shitty-ass blood off my Wristblades.)

Rave barked out in laughter at that, pounding Scar on the back, (You're right, Scar. Always thinking.)

Scar hadn't braced himself, so he staggered a step forward under the weight of Rave's hand clapping him soundly on the back. Letting out a short, resigned trill of a chuckle himself, Scar said aloud, (Yeah, sure. But I do know one thing: if we don't hurry up that soft meat just may be dead already.)

Without losing another second, they both lunged into a fast pace.

-o-o-o-

Lex found her muscles moving as if trained in the art of combat. She dodged and leaped like never before. Knowledge and decades of practice she had never known or had in her whole lifetime poured and melded into her bones like liquid metal. As she delivered a swift kick to the hard meat's jaw, Lex could only gape as it flew down the corridor. Whatever the mask had done... it was changing her. She felt like a flawed, forgotten scrap of metal that had suddenly been plunged into a great forge and hammered mercilessly. Where the imaginary hammer smoothed out dents, she felt power flow through her limbs. Where the hammer struck, she felt a great release.

Running swiftly to meet the rising hard meat, she sprang into the air and connected her fist solidly with its forehead. Crying out, the hard meat jerked back and whipped its tail at her in retaliation. Lex caught it in a hard grip, quickly placing her other hand over the first as she planted her feet, planning on throwing the creature into the wall. But as she tugged, she realized one thing.

She hadn't grown THAT much stronger.

With a pained shout of her own, Lex found the tables turned as the Drone whipped its tail to slam HER into the wall.

Lex gritted her teeth. All right. So apparently she hadn't been honed into a great sword as she had imagined, but rather a deadly dagger. She didn't have a great flood of strength, but she had the skill and swift speed.

'All right. Not a whole lot of strength. I can deal with that.' Lex thought as her mind conjured up a ridiculous picture in which she had suddenly bulged with enough muscles to compete with a body builder, 'I wouldn't look too good, anyways.'

Ducking under one of the Drone's flailing limbs, for it had moved too quickly for Lex to tell which one it was, the human sprinted for one of the walls. Hissing its frustration at how difficult its prey was being, the hard meat darted after her. Lex didn't slow at all even when the stone wall was a pace and a half away. Instead, she readied the muscles in her left leg a split second before she sprung straight at the solid, vertical stone surface.

Her other foot touched the wall, a seemingly soft caress almost, as she gathered the force of which she had leaped. Less than half a blink later, Lex rebounded off the wall, her graceful form agile and high in the air. The Alien was still rushing at her, but even it had trouble following the sudden change in movement that had overcome its prey. It tried to alter its head on course, but to no avail.

Lex didn't give it time to mend its mistake. It had underestimated her. It had believed she was simply running to get away. But no. Releasing gravity and all the force she had gathered, Lex drove her heel mercilessly onto its head, jarring and enflaming its senses. Before she had even touched the ground, even as the ebony form staggered a step back, Lex swung her other leg across with just as much power as the first. The arc led the foot to ram where the Drone's oblong head connected with its neck.

SNAP.

With an odd jerk, the black bony form stilled. Lex landed soundlessly on the ground, her eyes inspecting the Alien before her. Her brown gaze detected the faint beginnings of movement and she tensed. But the hard meat was dead. And it proved it by dropping stiffly to the ground, its head bent at an odd angle.

"Well," Lex muttered aloud, reminiscing, "at least now I know how I was able to jump so high."

Before she could decide if she was truly grateful for the sudden gift of knowledge, both informational facts within her head and physical, she heard raptor-like cries behind her. Her eyes widened as she whirled to take in the numerous figures racing towards her. There were more hard meats than she could count with both hands. There were at least a dozen, if not more.

Leading the pack was one which had odd, yellow grid marks across its slick black form. But she didn't stay to stand and stare. Pivoting, she sent a surge of power to her legs and ran like she's never run before.

-o-o-o

They heard the cries and rushed forth. But by the time they got there, all that was left was a cold, stiff body.

Scar stooped beside it, raking the Alien's body with his meticulous gaze. Without looking over his shoulder at Rave, Scar inquired quietly, (Do you think...?)

(That the Ooman killed it?) Rave scoffed. But a breath later, a slight frown graced his brow, (You know... a day ago I would have laughed hard just because you said such a ridiculous thought aloud. But now... now I am not so sure.)

Muscular arms crossed over his broad chest, Rave's sage-colored gaze stared hard at the ground as he replayed the image he had captured earlier through his mask. He watched with rapt attention as the Ooman led the beast across the large cavern. Then there was that jump. That incredible leap that should have been impossible for her type of species. It was a high jump that would make even a few Yautja Rave knew go green-eyed with envy. He forwarded the imaging to just before the Disc flashed in her palm. It sliced cleanly through the hard meat's brain and Rave couldn't help but grunt in admiration. It was not many a Yautja that could turn such an unfavorable situation around.

Little did Rave know, Scar was replaying the same image as well, though at a slightly different angle since he had been crouching in a higher location. This was unusual indeed. Not only had the Ooman been able to wear his mask, but apparently she had gained some knowledge from it as well.

It was impossible. Simply impossible. No one could place on another's mask and live. But not just because the owner of said mask would kill the offender for such dishonor, but also because the mask itself would have fried the brain of the thief.

Lex should have died the moment she put it on.

Scar trilled in thought, (Hmm...)

He jerked his head around, dreadlocks whipping behind him as he scanned the hallway, blinking to switch the eye sensors to thermal imaging. All around he saw the fading heat signatures of many clawed hands and feet dashing after the soft meat's booted ones. So she had been targeted then.

At the gruff click from behind him, Scar stood. Rave had come to the same conclusion, apparently, as he growled, (The Drones will not let this one get away. She has proven such a capable prey. Either they will kill her, or they will give her to one of their strongest eggs.)

(One that will be designated a Warrior sooner in life than most Drones could dream.) Scar's trilling was hushed. If such a fate had befallen a Yautja, he would have immediately killed himself upon discovery of the parasite which lived inside him.

Rave growled in contempt, (As if the little worms could dream. They mindlessly serve their Queen.)

(As much as I'd like to agree with you, you'd do well not to underestimate the hard meats, Rave. Look where we are. We're not out of the Hunt yet.)

Scar launched himself into a jog right after the statement, not wanting to waste more time than necessary. If Rave wanted to find the Ooman, then fine. They'll find her. But he was sure Rave wanted to find her alive.

Rave caught up easily, his brow ridge cocked as he observed the smaller Yautja beside him.

Scar, never one for liking to be stared at for long, trilled in annoyance, (What?)

(Don't pretend you don't want to find her as well.) Rave trilled softly, a smirk to his tone, (It was YOUR mask she put on, after all.)

That said, Rave sped up, leaving a spluttering Scar behind. A little ahead, Rave barked out in laughter. Scar gnashed his mandibles silently before he sped up as well. But in the face of Rave's mirth and at the statement itself, Scar couldn't help but laugh as well. Rave, interestingly enough, had the uncanny ability to extract a chuckle out of the usually serious Scar.

At times, Scar regretted Rave's ability to do that. But right now, he had needed a laugh. Scar felt that this whole Ooman female business was going to wear him out extremely if not kill him right out.


	8. No other way

Disclaimer: Uh-huh, you know the drill. I totally own every AvP related merchandise. Haha- NOT.

A/N: Haha -grins- It's nice to see some familiar faces. Thanx for the reviews, all. Personally, I like both Rave and Scar. I might have liked the third Yautja as well, but I don't really know him.

Oh yeah, and Happy New Year to everyone!

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**Before: Scar agrees to go with Rave after the girl. Lex almost collapses into a mental breakdown, what with all the information she suddenly found dumped in her mind by the mask. But before she can begin to go all crazy, she encounters another Alien. Surprisingly, Lex finds herself able to fight, and not only that, but she could fight REALLY well. Apparently the mask had not only slipped information to her mind, but to her body as well. She kills the hard meat, but more come after her, led by Grid. Scar and Rave find the Alien she killed and come to the conclusion that now the Aliens definitely won't leave her alone. Rave notices something Scar doesn't. Could it be possible Scar has more interest in finding the Ooman than he realizes?**

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(This is like a damn youngling's game of chase!) Rave growled angrily, kicking the freshly killed Alien corpse from pure spite. If it had been alive he would have gladly pummeled it bloodily back to oblivion.

(You're the one who wanted to find her.) Scar pointed out with a short bark, glancing wearily at the dead hard meat Rave had cast aside.

It had to have been the third or fourth body they had found since trailing the Ooman. Apparently the Queen still had her Drones pursuing her, relentless in her quest to acquire a strong body with which to hatch one of her eggs. Though, both Scar and Rave noted, the Ooman female was not making it an easy task.

Prowling forward in the darkness, Scar halted at an intersection. At this point, he cursed under his breath. It was a sound Rave caught clearly.

(What?) Rave demanded with a trill of impatience, stalking up behind the smaller Yautja, (What is it?)

(She seems to have eluded them.) Scar clicked his mandibles, impressed. Though when he caught himself doing it, he instantly stopped, focusing instead on the multiple passageways before them, (The group of hard meats pause here, then split up. Three or more for each corridor.)

(Only three?) Rave chittered in slight amusement, (She can take three.)

(Or MORE.) Scar repeated, annoyed for some reason at his friend's instant warming up to the soft meat, (Besides, who's to say there aren't more laying in wait ahead?)

The bigger, greenish-brown Yautja cocked his brow-ridge once more, making Scar groan in dread at the next words that would come rolling out of Rave's mouth.

(Why do you always look for the worst, Scar?)

(Because that's life, for you.)

Rave looked unconvinced, (Why do you keep insisting the Ooman is dead? Do you want her to be? Do you not think I hold my life debt seriously?)

(Wha-?) Scar looked slightly flustered, head whipping around to look at the bigger Predator. Why had he tried to expand Rave's thought processes? It might have been easier handling a big dumb brute than this slightly smarter big dumb brute. (What are you- I never said... Gah! Forget this. Let's just go and find her before you make me deaf with your ramblings about your honor and wha-)

(Hey.) Rave clicked in a rumbled burst, taking slight offense, as he interrupted, (Honor is very important to me.)

Picking a route at random, Scar quickly stepped up his pace and shot back in an irritated trill, (Yeah, I know.)

Ignoring, or simply not taking notice, of Scar's aggravation, Rave continued, (And I take this VERY seriousl-)

(YEAH.) Scar interjected, going just a little bit faster, (I KNOW Rave.)

Rave easily caught up with Scar, falling quickly into the fast pace the yellowish-brown skinned Yautja had set. As their powerful, muscled forms stole into the dim passages, a question trilled out, (Are you sure you know where we're going?)

A loud, exasperated sigh was the only reply.

-o-o-o-

Her breathing was loud in her ears. Even as her eyes, exhausted from lack of sleep, attempted to form every shadow into a deadly foe, Lex made sure to keep her senses alert. She was crouched in a nook located at least twenty yards from the ground floor. Adrenaline hadn't let her down and neither did her trained muscles as she scaled the wall faster then two or three blinks of an eye. She had only to wait a few more moments before she realized she lost the Aliens trailing her.

And the fact that she shook off most of the hard meats at the last intersection helped a lot.

She had rested long enough for her mind to, once again, catch up. And she found that she was not too happy with herself.

'WHAT am I doing? What am I thinking? Fighting those things... like I stand a chance... which, surprisingly, I do. Hah, I kicked their asses.' At this point, Lex shook her head. One part of her was terribly afraid and upset, but the other part... was swelled with pride. She had beaten them back. She had KILLED some of them. And, of course, BOTH parts of her were exhausted.

Lex felt so drained. How long had she been in the pyramid? She didn't know anymore. The black woman wasn't even sure she CARED. All she wanted was to get OUT of the pyramid, get BACK to the Piper Maru and ride all the way back to the little apartment she had bought in New York. Lex didn't think she'd ever look at the 'dangers' in the big city the same way ever again.

"If I ever get out of here..." Lex grumbled to herself.

But she never finished the sentence. Her eyelids drooping closed, Lex slumped against the cramp quarters of her hiding place and fell instantly asleep.

-o-o-o-o-

'LOST her!' The Queen raged, 'You LOST her?'

Grid cringed, instinctively wanting to back away. But even if it did, it wouldn't help. Like all Drones, Grid was mind-linked to the Queen. She was shouting in its own head and no amount of running would get it away from her furious wail. Thankfully, at least, her anger was not totally directed towards Grid.

Obediently still, Grid remained crouched where it was as another trembling hard meat made its way forward. Knowing its fate, the slightly older Drone still shrieked loudly before the Queen chomped its head between her jaws. Yellow acidic blood dribbling harmlessly down her chin, the Queen tossed the body away in disgust and whipped her head towards Grid.

Grid jerked as if slapped, though the Kainde Amedha stiffened immediately afterwards. It knew what her acknowledgement of its presence meant. It knew the responsibilities, benefits and... penalties.

'YOU! Gather more young Drones. Get me out of these shackles!'

With a brief, wary glance at the crumpled and prone form a few lengths away, Grid did its best to comply quickly. It didn't know how the filthy Yautja had managed to capture and shackle their Queen, but it knew its mother was smart enough to know freedom when she sniffed it.

Had the Yautja gotten careless? Had something gone wrong? It didn't matter. All that mattered was what the Queen wanted.

And right now, she required sacrifice of a few of its brethren.

-o-o-o-o-

Lex woke with a start, blinking blearily as her mind struggled to comprehend what had woken her.

That's when she heard the familiar voices.

(What do you mean, you don't know?) A deep, gruff voice demanded.

Keeping low and quiet, Lex crawled forward to peek over the edge. Her brow furrowed as her searching eyes found no one inhabiting the large corridor. She was about to stand to get a better look when she caught herself a split second before the speaking continued.

The second voice, deep but slightly higher in pitch, snapped out in irritation, (I MEAN that I'm not sure. There are too many heat trails over the walls and floors. It's hard to tell wher-)

(You CLAIMED you were the best, Scar. I guess it was all talk.)

Lex blinked. She didn't SEE anyone. They must've been wearing those invisibility cloaks or something. That's when one of the worst things that could happen started to actually happen.

The pyramid chose this time to shift around.

Glancing around her little alcove, Lex realized she couldn't stay where she was. Unless she planned on becoming as flat as a pancake, she was definitely going to have to move.

Stooping low, she made a running leap. She planned on making her way over to the ledge on the wall across from her own. What she hadn't planned on, was part of the ceiling lowering quick enough to get in her way. With widened eyes, she hit it and found herself falling the long way to the ground.

Scar growled as he caught on to the movements of the structure. THIS would not help his tracking in any way. Both de-cloaking to allow their shields time to charge, Scar and Rave began to make their way across the corridor. That's when the most surprising thing of all happened.

Right before their feet, the Ooman landed with a loud 'Oof!' Much to her credit, she actually landed on her feet, crouched like a cat. Green and amber eyes widened at the soft meat before them. The creature they had been tracking for hours was just suddenly... THERE, right before them.

(Wow, you're better than I thought.) Rave commented in a short trill of respect, throwing a sidelong glance at Scar.

"Hi... guys." Lex smiled nervously. Was the other Yautja still out to kill her? Even as she steadied her feet against the constant shifting, Lex's brown eyes darted around her, scouting for escape routes.

(We don't have time for this.) Scar growled, hand darting out and clamping onto Lex's before she could think about going anywhere.

With a brief nod towards Rave, ensuring he wouldn't kill her, Scar started into a jog. It would be safer if they got out of that corridor, seeing as how it was madly shuffling around blocks like pieces of a disorganized puzzle. At first, Lex had attempted to dig her heels in and rip her hand out of his grasp. Unfortunately, he was still many times stronger than her.

Snapping his amber gaze into her brown ones, Scar gave a short bark, (Either you run with me, or you get dragged.)

"Fair enough." Lex muttered, quickly stepping into gear.

She wasn't interesting in getting more bruises or injuries to her body, pride, or anything else. Rave jogging alongside them, the three set off quickly through the suddenly cramped space. Clearing the hallway just in time, the two Yautja and the one Ooman paused to watch the stone wall slide shut.

Now that the danger had momentarily passed, all three took the time to study one another. Much to the Yautja's surprise, Lex wasn't as bloody as they imagined she'd be. And much to Lex's surprise, the Predators didn't look half as pissed as she thought they'd be. It didn't help any to clip off the slight nervousness she still felt. They were both taller than seven or eight feet, after all, with bodies as deadly equipped as the weapons they carried.

Lex found her brown eyes trailing to the yellowish-brown skinned hand that was still clamped over hers.

(I'll release you if you promise not to run.) Scar grunted, waiting for her brown eyes to lock onto his.

For a few moments, they held a staring contest, which Rave watched from the sidelines with great interest. At last, Lex turned her gaze away. She didn't forget what she had found the last time she had stared into those amber eyes, and it was with great relief that this time she only had the mask's visor to look at. It was something she didn't want to find again, though she knew that NOW she definitely couldn't disregard the fact that they were somewhat intelligent. Scar, on the other hand, found himself absurdly relieved she had looked away first. He, himself, had gotten slightly uncomfortable staring into her brown eyes, finding the softness there intensely disturbing. And he knew Rave would never let him live it down had he looked away first, what with the big brute watching it all and everything.

Taking that as her consent, Scar reluctantly relinquished his hold.

Without missing a beat, Lex kicked the Yautja's feet from under him and darted away. Hitting the ground with a curse, Scar was on his feet less than a breath later, sprinting after the fleeing soft meat. It wasn't much of a chase as Scar leaped into the air, landing solidly on her back and ending it quickly.

Finding herself sprawled on her stomach with Scar actually sitting on her back, Lex let out a defeated sigh. As if she believed for one moment she could have gotten away that easily. From the looks of things, the two Predators seemed to have been tracking her. But why? She had given his mask back AND his gun.

Sending a dagger-like glare at Rave, Scar demanded, (Why didn't you stop her?)

Inspecting his claws nonchalantly, Rave replied, (It looks like you have things under control.)

"Will you get off?" Lex made a demand of her own, twisting her head to half look at the armored Yautja sitting calmly on her back, "I can't breath."

(I told you not to run.)

"No." Lex corrected, "You wanted me to promise not to run. I didn't promise. AND I did not just run. I took you by surprise and THEN ran."

With a growl at her tone, Scar whipped his head to send another glare at his bigger companion.

(She IS right.) Rave clicked with a shrug.

Scar sighed aloud in his ever-growing exasperation. Why was he stuck with these two again? Oh right, because the Yautja was one of his childhood friends and the Ooman was the one being in the ENTIRE universe Rave owed a life debt to.

(Unbelievable.) Scar mumbled, rolling his eyes.

As Lex lay there, struggling to breathe, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Feeling Scar's weight shift slightly on her back, Lex took advantage and hooked her leg through one of his. Before anything could be done, Lex flexed her abs and leg muscles and twisted with a burst of movement. Much to the Yautja's surprise, Scar soon found their positions reversed. Now HE was on the bottom and SHE was the one sitting on him. Scar wasn't sure who's maw was gaping wider, HIS or Rave's.

Scar blinked, looking up to find an equally surprised gaze on Lex's face, (Wha- did you just...) But words seemed to fail him at the moment. Did he just get bested by the Ooman female?

Straddling his stomach, Lex leaned forward, a smirk replacing her astonishment as she realized what she just did, "I NEEDED to breathe. I did tell you, remember?"

But Scar could only blink once more, his mind still dwelling on what had just happened. She had just reversed their positions. Just like that. Even though he hadn't really been trying, she was JUST an Ooman. How could she have turned his own pin back on him?

As if the whole situation had finally sunk in, Rave suddenly erupted into bursts of barking laughter. The look on Scar's face was priceless. Priceless! Scar's thoughts, however, sort of bordered on the lines of, 'I did NOT think my Hunt would be anything like this.' At the sound of Rave's laughter, Scar's brow ridge creased underneath his mask. The big Yautja was laughing at him! Well... the situation did seem funny... A newly blooded warrior being pinned by an Ooman female. Hell, if it had been Rave pinned in his place, Scar would be laughing his head off as well.

Of course, consequently afterwards the female would've had to die.

Finally noticing her own position, legs straddling the Predator's armored chest, Lex was swift to stand. Her quick movement caught the attention of both Yautja's and Rave's laughter died down immediately. Would she run?

She certainly did look like she considered the option, what with her eyes glancing at the passages around the large chamber. Trying not to scare her off, Scar rose slowly to his feet, his gaze never leaving her face.

Lex's mind was plunged in sudden chaos. Should she leave? Even with her newfound fighting abilities, Lex doubted whether she would make it out of the pyramid alive. At least, not alone. But could she trust these two Predators? Was it wise to stay with them after all? The bigger one, the one named Rave, looked the most hurt, yet he was still standing. And Lex did not doubt his ability to fight.

Speaking of the big Yautja, Lex sensed more than actually saw him standing somewhere behind her. His presence was closer, much closer. As if he was preparing to stop her if she tried to escape. Once again, the black woman found herself under the assault of that same question: SHOULD she leave?

Scar was standing before her now, his amber gaze focused on her face even as he watched for the slightest movement from her. The slightest twinge of a muscle and he would snatch her arm once more. He couldn't let her leave. At least, not before Rave explained to her what it was the big Yautja owed her for her earlier actions.

At a speed she couldn't comprehend, Lex could feel her mind going through multiple scenarios that would allow her escape. But most of them included at least killing one of the Yautja warriors, if that was even possible. And Lex did not feel like adding more to her list of grievances that she had done to Scar. And if it was Scar that she killed, then she doubted the big guy would let her take another step and still be alive. No, she would not kill them. She wasn't even sure she could have.

Crossing her arms as she momentarily accepted defeat, Lex sighed. Her slight movement had caused Scar to visibly twitch, but nothing more. She couldn't keep running like this. Lex realized that she couldn't run from the Aliens AND the Predators as well. It would be smarter to team up with one of the two. And since the Yautja were offering...

"If you promise not to kill me, I won't run." Lex found herself saying.

Scar blinked.

Rave guffawed, one large hand falling on her shoulder as he stepped up beside her, (Kill you? Why would we do that?) Impressed already by her many kills, the big Yautja easily forgot how her companions had taken their guns earlier, forcing the beginning of the Hunt before the Yautja were even ready. He even almost forgot that she was an Ooman. Almost.

Lex had staggered underneath his friendly 'pat' on her back, stumbling into Scar's chest at Rave's unexpected strength. Scar's arms had instinctively closed around her to prevent Lex from bouncing back off his chest and onto the ground.

Caught off guard by his own reaction, the shorter Yautja was stunned to feel the warmth within his hold. It had been pure instinct, but now that he had the tiny Ooman within his grasp, he experienced a disconcerting wave of comfort. Snorting at the odd revelation, Scar gently flexed his mandibles as he looked down at the female. She had fallen slack in his hold from stumbling, but when she seemed to realize where she was, her body stiffened. He could feel her heart hammering wildly through the thermal netting, her stature so short that her shoulders only reached the bottom of his pectoral armor.

Despite her obvious increased heart rate, her gaze, when finally lifted to look at him, veiled her fear and discomfort. Instead it radiated with a healthy sense of irritation. Scar's amber eyes blinked slowly before he trilled in amusement. This gesture only seemed to irk her more.

Finding himself strangely reluctant to release her, Scar basically pried his arms from around her with pure willpower alone. Immediately, he shot a death glare towards the bigger Yautja. Rave was rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, shrugging. Sometimes the big brute just didn't know his own strength. Especially when it came to fragile Ooman creatures. Embarrassed at the close contact, Lex quickly stepped back. Searching Scar's masked face and body language to see if she had offended him, Lex was surprised to meet something that wasn't anger. He was looking at her strangely and Lex didn't quite know how to interpret it. Much to her astonishment, it was Scar this time who looked away first.

Eyeing the two Yautja warily, Lex replied, "Kill me? Well, first of all, you killed some of the men on my team-"

(You took our weapons.) Rave interjected.

"True, but we didn't know the owners were alive at the time." Lex continued, unfazed as she nodded her head in Scar's direction, "Not to mention he tried killing me as well."

(You took his mask.) Rave said simply.

"Not on purpose." Lex said defensively, "And I gave it back."

(You don't seem to understand.) Scar stepped in, his tone serious, (The act of putting someone else's mask itself should have KILLED you.)

Sensing some tension at the mention of the mask, Lex lowered her eyes, "Oh." Then the rest of his statement sunk in, "Wait. KILL me? Why was it supposed to do that?"

(No one has ever put another's mask on and lived. Each in existence has been made specifically for each Yautja. Made FOR that Yautja and worn only BY that Yautja.) Scar explained, (You should have DIED the moment the mask attached to your face.)

"I almost did..." Lex reminisced aloud, her voice soft. She had almost suffocated to death, "I... I couldn't breathe. And then... suddenly I did."

Rave looked baffled. Scar still looked a bit disgruntled. And Lex... well, she found her brown gaze tracing that very same mask that was on Scar's face. She wasn't sure what to feel. Apparently, the Yautja culture took matters regarding their personal masks very seriously. And for some strange reason, Lex suddenly found the thought of someone taking another's mask justifiably wrong.

Crossing his brawny arms, a smirk on his mandibles, Rave said, (Since the mask didn't kill you, Scar _did_ feel obligated to.)

"Did...?" Lex echoed, looking warily at Scar.

(You... saved Rave's life.) Scar explained with a trill of reluctance, his attention switching to the bigger Yautja's.

"Oh yeah... about that-" Lex started to say. She hadn't really understood why she did it. The fact of the matter was that she merely felt compelled. But Rave interrupted her.

(It's not just THAT.) Rave's tone turned serious, (I owe you a life debt.)

"A life... debt?" Lex said slowly, "So... you did _not_ come to kill me?"

The larger, greenish-brown Yautja chuckled at that as he replied, (No. We did not come to kill you. If anything, we've come to commend you on your kills. The Kainde Amedha are not easily slain.)

Then suddenly, as Rave's words rang through the air, it hit Scar. Hard.

Lex had KILLED hard meats. During the Hunt. She had killed them DURING the Hunt.

(Did you kill them with your own hands?) Scar demanded with a gruff bark.

Still trying to get over the fact that the big guy actually owed her something _other_ than an agonizingly slow death, Lex blinked, her mind sluggish under the weight of their words, "Huh?"

She couldn't quite understand how the question was relevant to their situation.

(What are you getting at, Scar?) Rave inquired with a lost bark, apparently unsure as well. He had detected the slight alarm in Scar's voice and knew something was up. 'Why would he want to know how she killed the hard meats?' Rave wondered to himself. Then it slowly dawned on the bigger Yautja as he commented, (Scar, we SAW her kill the first one hand-to-hand...)

"What are you two talking about?" Lex demanded, wondering if she should start to get worried right about now. The way both now held their bodies portrayed a sort of seriousness she had not seen in them before. As one, they turned their heads toward her and she tensed, not knowing what to expect. Had she done something wrong by killing the hard meats hand-to-hand? It had been in self-defense. They had been trying to kill her! She couldn't possibly get into trouble with the Yautja for THAT.

Scar pulled something out of one of his side pouches. If it was possible, Rave believed the Ooman next to him tensed even more, resembling a stone statue. No doubt she believed Scar had retrieved some sort of weapon. But upon further inspection, Lex saw it was only one of the dead Alien's fingers. The female soft meat frowned. What was he going to do with that?

(I've never heard of this happening before...) Rave commented aloud, his clicking trailing off.

(Well, I don't know any other way to go about it.) Scar replied, his gaze flickering back to the very confused Ooman before them.

Leaning in close, Rave hissed in barely audible clicks, (Just do it before she runs off.)

"Ummm... I'm sorry but what does my killing of hard meats have anything to do with that finger?" Lex questioned, looking suspiciously at the two Predators before her.

Scar looked towards Rave, silently asking the other to explain. But he received no such luck as the bigger Yautja, scratching his neck, coughed and pretended that he had found something on the ceiling suddenly more interesting. Scar cursed Rave inwardly, sighing outwardly. There really was no other way to go about it.

(You killed hard meats, hand-to-hand, during a Hunt.) Scar said, stepping up to her, Alien finger still in hand, (You are a blooded warrior now. Like us, you must be marked.)

"Marked?" Lex echoed once again, eyes darting from the finger to the yellowish-brown skinned Yautja before her.

That's when her eyes noticed the mark on Scar's mask. For some reason she knew the little scar hadn't been there before. It was two curved, deep gouges that reminded Lex of two Nike sports logos, one horizontal and the second below it vertical. But she had a feeling it wasn't in any way related to sports merchandise.

With a hiss of pressure, both masks came off, exposing Lex once more to their lovable faces. She saw the marks had even been made on their large foreheads. Lex wasn't slow. She knew, even as the information surfaced in her mind, that she would be marked on the skin as well. Noticing the green acidic blood on the tip of the finger for the first time, Lex cringed inwardly. They were going to do it with THAT.

'Suck it up,' Lex thought to herself, knowing with much certainty that she couldn't simply refuse getting marked, 'this seems as important to them as that whole mask thing earlier. Maybe even more.'

Okay, so they were going to mark her. With the hard meat's blood. Which... was acidic. Ouch.

Tilting her head slightly upwards, Lex waited for the inevitable burst of pain.

Surprised and gratified that she was taking it so well, Scar took one more step closer and lowered the finger to her face. After a moment of indecision, he decided it might be best if he placed the mark on her cheek. Her forehead was not nearly as big and wide as theirs. Not to mention he didn't want the acid eating its way into her brain if the hard meat's blood proved more hazardous to this soft meat than anticipated.

Dabbing the acid tip on her cheek, he noted that the edge of her lip twitched. Pulling it away, he heard her sucking air through clenched teeth, but still she made no sound of pain. Rave nodded his head once in approval and Scar brought the finger back to finish the mark.

When it was done, Lex opened her eyes and stared into Scar's amber ones. There was that look again in his eyes. The one she had caught him giving her earlier. Something stirred in Lex and she couldn't find the will the tear her own gaze away.

That's when Rave suddenly stepped up as well, his fist slamming against his chest, right above where his heart would be. It was a gesture of approval and respect.

But what came next wasn't something Lex could have DREAMED.

(Welcome, Ooman, to our Clan.)

Lex started, eyes wide, "What?"

They never told her about this!


	9. Nothing can be done

Disclaimer: Seriously. I really don't own AvP. If you don't believe me by now... then I don't know what else to tell you.

A/N: -grins evilly- I know something about this chapter that you guys don't...

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**Before: Tracking the Ooman gets on Rave's nerves while Rave amuses himself by irritating Scar. Lex manages to elude the hard meats chasing her and takes a quick nap. The Queen, in the meantime, takes out her anger on one of the Drones before appointing Grid responsible for leading the other hard meats. The first thing on his list is to free the Queen. As the pyramid shifts, Lex literally drops into the Yautjas' paths and gets partly dragged along. After some disagreement and reassurances made (that Lex wouldn't run and that the Yautjas' wouldn't kill her), Scar realizes that Lex killing Aliens hand-to-hand during the Hunt had a surprising result. Without meaning to, Lex had just gained entrance into Scar and Rave's Clan.**

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Lex just gaped.

After a while of silence, the Yautja's exchanged worried glances and wondered if the Ooman had turned into a statue without them noticing. Shrugging, Rave began to repeat, (Welcom-)

"WHAT?" Lex, cutting him off, finally managed to utter.

Frowning at her seemingly sheer stupidity, Rave gave a small snort before beginning to say once more, (I said, welco-)

"I DON'T understand!" Lex, throwing her hands up in the air, began pacing in a small manic circle.

Once more, the two Predators exchanged worried looks as the Ooman continued to rant. Rave was starting to get frustrated. Here he was, trying to explain it to the Ooman, but she just KEPT interrupting him. Scar, on the other hand, began to see the hilarity of the situation despite his persistent worry developing from her behavior.

As one, both Hunters tuned into what the pacing Ooman was saying. It was incredible that they understood what she was saying at all. She just spoke THAT fast.

"-just unbelievable. I do NOT understand. Why? WHY? Why is this happening to me! What did I ever do! This is crazier than the time I had that drink with my dad on top of that mountain right before he died on the way down! I just can't think. I can't breathe! Oh my god, I forgot how to breathe! This cannot be happening to me. But it IS and there's nothing I can do about it. Oh MY Go-"

At this point, both Yautja tuned back out of her loony ranting and just blatantly and bleakly stared at one another.

(SHE is the one I owe a life debt to?) Rave questioned with a jerk of his head towards Lex. He was, in fact, questioning his own sanity. How could someone as MAD as Lex was at the moment have saved him at any one point in time? Had he been hallucinating? Deep down, the big Yautja desperately wished this was all a horrible nightmare and he would wake up back on their home planet, ready for some head-bashing at the local bar.

Attempting to hold back his laughter, Scar's face twisted into strange mix of seriousness and pain. Seriousness in the face of the situation Rave was faced with. Pain at holding back the laughter. So in the end he just let it all out. Roaring with laughter, Scar doubled over in an attempt to keep his ribs intact. Taking a step forward, he placed a sympathizing hand on Rave's shoulder. After shaking off a few more bursts of mirth, Scar barely managed to say, (YES.) before he collapsed into laughter once more.

Looking at his incompetent companion with a look akin to disgust, Rave crossed his overly muscled arms across his chest.

Hearing the threatening growl from the bigger Yautja, Scar hastily tried to gather his composure. Unfortunately, his look at the situation was simply too hilarious to ignore. Here they were, Rave having practically run them RAGGED trying to find this Ooman, and NOW... now Scar began to see that Rave just may seriously reconsider having been saved by her in the first place.

Rave's mandibles twitched in irritation. He did NOT like being laughed at. And for Scar, his acceptance would only go for so long. Giving one final growl of warning, Rave was a flash of motion as his fist swung out. Scar saw the fist coming and steadied himself for it.

But Rave pulled back his blow in a split second, Scar blinking in confusion, as they both found the Ooman female standing between them.

The insane look was gone from her eyes and she looked as normal as the Yautja had seen for someone of her species.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can accept." Lex said, her breath shaky at the beginning, "I just want to go ho-"

(It can't be taken back.) Rave said simply.

"But I just want to go HOME." Lex replied.

(It's not that sim-) Scar began to say.

But Lex, a little frantic as she realized she might not be able to back out of this situation, interrupted, "You don't understand. I JUST want-"

A little fed up at being interrupted by the little soft meat, Scar butted in with a growl, (No. YOU don't understand! This is the Hunt. THE HUNT. YOU killed the hard meats with your bare hands. YOU, therefore, have been marked as we have. You are part of the Clan whether you like it or not!)

That said, the yellowish-greenish Yautja stormed off. He was a little pissed that a soft meat would go so far as to dishonor her acceptance into their Clan. Passing the Hunt was a trial that was NOT taken lightly. And to have this soft meat, this... Ooman, attempt to turn down the offer was like her spitting on his mother's grave. If he hadn't trained his body and his own emotions for this very day, Scar wasn't sure he would be able to stay his hand from killing her on the spot.

Feeling she had made a grave error, Lex slowly turned her widened eyes towards the bigger Yautja that remained.

His deep sage eyes studied her without expression. In a low, deep rumble, Rave said, (You have offended him greatly. You... have offended **US** greatly as well as our Clan.)

"I..." Lex stood, dumbfounded. She glanced around Rave's huge body towards Scar's form, which was diminishing as he continued storming away. Looking back up at Rave, Lex said softly, "I... I did not mean... I am so sorry... I..."

Glancing around her worriedly, Lex took a step back, "Maybe... maybe I should go-"

(No.) Rave said instantly, his large hand dwarfing hers as he grasped her arm, (Sometimes, Scar's anger is as quick as mine. But... he will come around. And when he does, I am sure he would not wish to go running after you again.)

Surprised at how quick he had moved, Lex blinked before focusing on Rave's words. She had a feeling Scar may dislike her for some great reason. And though the amber-eyed one clearly still held some anger against her, the bigger one seemed just as adamant to have her along with them. Lex didn't think she could leave them right now even if she wanted to. In this place, the Aliens were definitely a large threat. Hanging around with the Predators just may save her life. IF Scar didn't plan on killing her first, that is...

Scar grumbled softly to himself. He was angry. And not only that, but he was angry at just how quickly he had become angry. No one had ever been able to shake his resolve like this. NO ONE had ever managed to surprise him so completely...

Shaking his head, which sent his dreadlocks tumbling around his shoulders, Scar let out a deep sigh. This was not good. He should keep his calm. He NEEDED to keep his composure. This was the Hunt after all, and not paying attention could cost someone's life at any mome-

With a sickening jerk, everything came to a slow stop in Scar's mind. With a huge amount of disbelief, the Yautja's gaze met with the barbed tip of the hard meat's tail. The tail which was currently... stuck THROUGH him. He had been impaled. In his carelessness, Scar had spelled his own end.

The Ooman's eyes were wide. Rave almost snickered. But that was before he turned his head to see what had caught her attention. Eyes widening beyond proportion, blood chilled at the sight of his childhood friend run through by the hard meat's tail, Rave felt an enraged cry tear at his throat.

Suddenly, the silent cavern was shaken by a tremendous roar that could not be matched.

Lex had to cover her ears. And even THEN there was a ringing in her ears from the effects of the sound.

Scar, in his slowly weakening state, could not miss the furious outcry from the bigger Yautja. Tasting blood on his mandibles, Scar did not attempt to stave off the grin that graced his pain-filled face.

(You... will wish... you were never BORN.) Scar chuckled painfully around the ebony tail jutting out of his chest. His half-lidded amber eyes were staring deep into the black face before him. The hard meat seemed reluctant, maybe even frightened after the terrible cry. If Aliens could feel regret, this one was certainly at the edges of it.

Rave felt his vision go red. The hard meat did not just do that. The bloodlust Rave was renowned for filled him faster than lightning bolt could flash in the trembling night sky. The hard meat did NOT just do that. Rave could feel his arms pumping, his legs already swift to bring him closer towards Scar. Closer towards the one he would most definitely KILL.

The hard meat DID. NOT. JUST. DO. **THAT**!

Though her mind was screaming at her to run the other way, Lex found herself hard-put to stay a step behind the big Yautja. Each great bound in his anger was three or four running steps of Lex's. She knew it would be suicide to try to stop him. She knew he just may kill HER in the blind rage she could see him in. But despite all that, Lex continued heading in the same direction. Towards the weakening Yautja still impaled on the tail of the hard meat clinging to the wall.

Seeing the oncoming mountain of muscle charging towards it, the Alien whipped its tail, slamming the blood-slick Yautja against the wall. This wrenched another blood-filled cry from Rave even as Scar lolled his head, groaning in pain. Rave bull-rushed into the hard meat, pile-driving it into the stone wall with enough force to create a small crater.

The Alien shrieked, caught off-guard at the sheer force even though it had seen Rave coming.

Through half-lidded eyes, Scar watched his titanic comrade clash against the huge black Alien form. Much to his relief and utter horror, the Alien that had killed him was not a Drone, but a Warrior. The older, tougher breed of the Queen's hatchlings.

'How is that possible...?' Scar wondered sluggishly. Though he was grateful to have been done in by a battle-hardened Warrior instead of the younger and weaker Drone, Scar could feel a nagging in the back of his mind that this could not be right. The Alien eggs had not hatched long enough for the Drones to grow into Warriors. What was wrong with this picture? But he was struggling just to stop the oncoming darkness. He could not think straight.

Then, all of a sudden, the Ooman female was there by his side.

Jerking at another bone-jarring slam from the ongoing battle between Rave and the Warrior hard meat, Lex fixed her eyes on the fading amber ones before her. She reached out with trembling hands, her eyes filling with unbidden tears.

This was HER fault. If she hadn't made him angry... if she hadn't driven him away... then Scar wouldn't have gone in this direction by himself. He would have paid more attention to his surroundings. His death, ultimately, was her fault.

She watched those amber eyes watching her own. He was dying. She could see the life draining from the form before her. It was as clear as the neon green blood which pumped through the hole in his chest. Lex attempted to staunch the flow with her hands, not caring as the blood covered her hands. His blood covered her arms, and as she wiped sweat from her brow, it covered her face. But she didn't care. All that mattered was that this dark pyramid was going to take yet another life.

It had been painful enough to watch the archaeologist, Sebastion, get dragged away to death while she remained safe only because he had saved her from falling. And now... and NOW another would die. Another would die because of her...

It was all her fault.

"I'm sorry..." Lex's voice trembled, her shaking hand lowering to rest on his cheek. She didn't care that she might get impaled herself from the raging Yautja and Alien fighting behind her. She didn't care that she might die by just standing there. Scar was dying. And it was HER fault, "I'm sorry. I'm so SO sorry. I didn't mean to- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't MEAN it."

Scar watched her, wanting to lift his own hand to stroke the tears from her cheek. But he could barely keep his eyes open. Instead, he relished in the feel of warmth from the hand she had placed on his cheek. He leaned into it without thinking. Never had he felt such a tender touch for so long. Not since he had been a youngling had Scar been embraced so caringly. And then it dawned on the Yautja. The Ooman wasn't just touching his cheek now. She was, in fact, embracing him. Bloody chest and all.

Lex's lithe form shook with the force of her choked sobs. She was letting it all out. Through her tears, she let out her fears. The dark engulfing fear she had shuttered inside since everything in the pyramid had started to go wrong. The anger she felt at herself for letting Sebastion die like that. She didn't even TRY... she could have tried HARDER to pull herself onto that ledge. She KNEW she could have. She was a goddamn CLIMBER for goodness sake! She cried and cried.

Without a sound, the Yautja's arms wrapped around her small form. Her shivering stopped instantaneously and Lex was content to just let the tears slide down her face silently, burying herself into the Yautja's burly arms and strong chest. She was so afraid. For Rave. For Scar. For herself.

And ironically, Lex found she had never felt safer than right now in Scar's arms. HE was the one dying. SHE should be comforting HIM.

Slowly, Scar realized he could hear Lex's voice. It took slightly longer than it should have for him to realize what she was doing. She was apologizing. She was sorry for taking his mask. His gun. And now, she blamed herself for his death. Scar heard her apologies. He could hear the sincerity in her voice. He saw the sincerity in her eyes. As much as he wanted to be mad, he found... he could not.

He heard her apologies. Scar heard them and accepted them.

The gun and the mask he still found was her fault. But he accepted her apologies for her actions. But his death...

His death was NOT her fault.

Straining his throat, Scar's mandibles moved slowly in an attempt to speak. Stilling her own voice, Lex turned her head to listen to him easily. She waited, neither her eyes leaving his mask-covered face nor her warm body leaving his embrace. She held still, and Scar knew she waited to hear his voice.

(Not... not your...) Scar struggled to hold on, even as his vision darkened. He fought off the darkness. Fought to keep his mind and say what he had to say, (Not... your... fault...)

It was then that Lex felt, more than saw him, close his eyes. He was still wearing his mask, but she KNEW he had closed them. She felt the arms around her, holding her... she felt them loosen ever so slightly.

"No..." Lex could not accept it. She repeated in a louder voice, "NO..."

It could not end like this. Lex could not LET it END like this!

Then all of a sudden Lex's cries became edged with more fear. The Alien with the grid-like pattern was suddenly before her, hissing at her. It pried her out of Scar's unmoving form, ignoring her futile struggles. Her crying had gotten more out of her than she realized. She could only fight half-heartedly, her eyes focused on the Yautja's still form.

Rave, in the meantime, was preoccupied with the Warrior before him. If he hadn't been very bloody before, Rave was NOW. And with a glance at the two forms huddled near the floor, Rave caught the moment Scar's mind slipped into darkness. Crying out in grief, Rave barely warded off the ebony hard meat's glancing blow. Trapping the Warrior's arm between his own and his armored side, Rave roared and wrenched in a powerful twist of muscles. It was the Alien's turn to cry out in anguish as he attempted to pull away, its broken arm still in Rave's grasp.

Pivoting, the big greenish-brown Yautja's pectorals bunched as he hurled the huge Alien over his shoulder. The hard meat squealed as it landed not-too-lightly through two stone pillars and into the stone ground. Its dead arm must've brought it immense pain. But Rave did not care. In fact, he relished the very power he held to dish out its pain.

Rave's head jerked to the side as he realized the cries had not all been the Alien. The Ooman's frantic cry had been intermingled in between. His rage had receded enough for him to notice this very slight thing. And there the soft meat was, being torn from Scar's unmoving grasp by the hard meat Scar had called Grid. Rave knew its name. The Yautja also knew that if the Grid did NOT let go of the Ooman, it was a soon-to-be-dead hard meat.

Taking a menacing step towards the hard meat, Rave was surprised to be attacked from the Warrior he had just thrown. Slamming into the ground, Rave's head whipped around to see the Ooman female disappearing down the hall, struggling in the grasp of the Drone. Bellowing his rage, the big Yautja found a surge of strength rippling through him as he grabbed the neck of the Warrior hard meat.

Sensing its death approaching, the Warrior lashed out with its inner jaws, attempting to take the Yautja out before he could kill it. But Rave caught the inner jaw between his other fist. With one pulling motion, Rave ripped out its inner jaw without an ounce of remorse.

Its cry sounding gutted and gurgling from the blood, the last thing the Warrior hard meat saw was the wall into which Rave smashed its skull. This was followed by the sharp cold of the blade Rave plunged into its brain. Then it saw and felt no more.

With a disgusted grunt, Rave stepped back away from the dead Alien, making sure to avoid the rapid spurts of its acidic blood. The huge Yautja glanced at Scar. But one look told him all he needed to know.

There was nothing Rave could do for Scar now.

The only thing he could do was save the Ooman's life. Feeling as if something vital had been ripped from within him, Rave tore his gaze away from the still form of Scar and sprinted down the hall. He had to go after Grid and the girl.

He had a life debt to repay, after all.

--------------------

-sighs- Crap... Scar, uh... damn.


	10. Darkness and Fate

Disclaimer: Though I share the same plot in which you see Scar dead... This does NOT mean I'm trying to say I own AvP. Because I don't.

A/N: -sighs- I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Scar is awesome. Too bad he wasn't paying attention and got stabbed. -shakes head sadly- He should have been paying more attention...

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**Before: Lex doesn't take her entrance into their Clan very well. Her behavior starts to irritate Rave, who half-believes she can't be the same person he owed a life debt to. Scar laughs his head off before Lex accidentally offended him with her continued refusals to accept she was now part of the Clan. Pissed and not paying attention, Scar gets viciously impaled by a Warrior hard meat. Erupting in rage, Rave bellows and charges head on to kill the Alien. Lex, though she could have escaped, chose to stay be Scar's side. Her tears and apologies struck Scar deep, her embrace chiseling away the last chink of armor holding his anger against her. Before the darkness takes him, Lex hears him pardon her of her wrongs and insists his death isn't her fault. Grid appears and takes her away. Shortly after killing the Warrior, Rave follows.**

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"Let GO you SLIMY BASTARD!" Lex demanded, attempting to break free of Grid's hold.

But her arms were pinned, unmoving at her sides, while whatever part she managed to kick had no visible affect on her kidnapper.

The tears on her cheeks had long dried away and she felt her strength returning. Unfortunately, Grid had foreseen this sort of thing and had prepared for it by trussing her up to be as harmless as possible. Much to Lex's distress, it had succeeded.

As she continued thrashing within its bony arms, Grid began to hiss its annoyance.

"Good. BE mad, you little piece of SHI-" Lex started to snarl.

But Grid had had enough of her being difficult. Whipping its head near her face, it gnashed his teeth dangerously closer to her face, its lip twitching as it hissed venomously. She stared at it with just as fierce an expression on her face. No more than half an hour ago, she had seen the Yautja die right before her eyes. He had been slain by a Warrior hard meat. But he hadn't died full of rage. Before he had lain still, he had forgiven her. He had forgiven her for her faults.

His lasts words were that his death was not her fault.

Lex felt a deep loss. Somehow, she felt that things between her and Scar could have taken a very different path if they had just resolved their differences sooner. If she had just accepted her place in the Clan...

She had been filled to the brim with sorrow. But now... NOW there was no more room for sadness. Or fear. She could only feel a burning rage flaming inside.

"I'm not afraid of you." Lex stated with great conviction. Her eyes were narrowed, her jaw clenched.

Grid actually paused in its tracks, its full attention drawn to the fragile soft meat now in its arms. How could such a puny thing make such declarations? Grid wanted nothing more than to snap that irritating skull off her little neck. But despite its own wants, Grid knew its place. The Queen wanted her alive, so alive it shall deliver her. Its bony spikes rattling in displeasure, Grid hissed angrily before continuing on its path. The sooner it rid itself of this aggravating prey, the better Grid would feel.

It was disappointed that it could not have stayed to finish off the second Yautja it had obviously failed to kill before. Grid could have sworn its inner jaw had pierced the bigger Yautja's mask days before. But Rave was obviously alive and kicking. Not to mention unstoppable with the way he was fighting Grid's Warrior brethren.

"HEY. Don't ignore me!" Lex shouted when she noticed the Alien began to pointedly look away from her.

Despite its lack of eyes, Lex sensed the Alien was definitely trying to shun her presence even as its death-like grip kept her near its angular chest.

Raptor-like cries pierced the still air and suddenly a horde of Aliens converged on their position. For the first time in a long while, Lex felt a pinprick of fear. Grid didn't stop or slow down as the tide of sleek black forms sidled next to it. Lex didn't quite know what was happening, but she knew one thing, at least.

They were heading somewhere.

-o-o-o-

Rave restrained from punching his fist raw on the stone walls he nearly flew past. He wanted to bellow his grief for all in the temple to hear.

But that wouldn't help him be sneaky, now would it?

For the second or third time during the whole Hunt, Rave was only a ripple of airspace moving at great speed. Since his cloaking was on, he knew to move fluidly or not at all in the presence of other beings. But he had to catch up soon or he might lose the Ooman.

He couldn't track as well as Scar. It was one of the skills he had been severely marked down on. Cheating off of Scar was the only way Rave had been able to fully past the training at all. If it hadn't been for his smaller friend, Rave wouldn't have been here at all.

(Scar...) Rave clicked sorrowfully, his voice wavering. Abruptly, the big Yautja shook his head fiercely. He had to focus.

Growling, Rave stepped up his pace.

Out of one of the side passages, a Drone appeared, its stance rigid. It felt the vibrations in the air, but for some reason it couldn't quite pick up just where the noise was coming from. This was, obviously, thanks to the Yautja's cloaking technology.

The huge Yautja didn't slow down one bit as the Drone paused hesitantly in the middle of the hall, its head swinging left and right in confusion.

His mandibles stretched in a silent roar, Rave snapped out his wrist blades and plunged them into the unsuspecting hard meat before him. Without even pausing, Rave continued on, wrist blades retracted even before he heard the 'thump' of the dead Alien body hitting the floor.

Rave's blood was pumping. And he wouldn't be sated until EVERY single one of the hard meats inside the structure was dead.

Forget that it would be suicide. Forget that he couldn't possibly hope to survive under the current circumstances. FORGET that he had dozens of wounds already, his arm still aching from being trapped under the stone wall.

What he couldn't forget... what Rave would NEVER forget... was Scar impaled on the Kainde Amedha's tail.

For that he would never forgive any hard meat. For that he would never forgive Scar. Or himself.

HE should have been there to ward off the Alien's blow. To, at the very least, WARN Scar about the impending danger. And now... NOW...

Now he had the responsibility of saving their newest Clan member.

He had to save Lex.

-o-o-o-

A large gush of air forced itself out of her lungs as Lex was thrown carelessly to the ground. Calloused hands gripping frigid unyielding stone, Lex pushed herself off the floor, her eyes hardened in preparation for whatever would come next.

Springing to her feet, Lex whirled around, crouching in a defensive stance. She didn't know where all the hard meats that had been traveling with them had gone, but a half dozen remained, Grid included.

When none of them made any moves, Lex snarled, "Well? What are you alien bastards waiting for! Are you gonna kill me?"

Six. There were six of them. Lex could take six hard meats on. Couldn't she?

Maybe.

That's when a thundering footstep was made behind her.

Wavering on her feet, Lex's eyes widened. She didn't even attempt to make herself believe it was the pyramid shifting.

Another step was made and slowly, Lex turned around. The Ooman female couldn't stifle a sharp gasp as she tried to take in the large form her eyes saw before her. It was a Kainde Amedha, there was no doubt about that. But it was a freakin' HUGE one.

The forehead crest itself was larger and wider than four Drones put together. Not to mention that a single Drone barely made it up to her knees.

Eyes traveling up the Queen's large form, for the name 'Queen' had surfaced suddenly in her mind, Lex took an unconscious step back.

This definitely put her at a great disadvantage.

Lex attempted to take a few more steps back, but behind her Grid snarled, butting her forward with its large forehead. Severely wishing she had some sort of Yautja blade with her, Lex spun and resorted to simply snarling back, instead, "Don't TOUCH me."

Taken aback at her sudden ferocity, Grid jerked its head. But it recovered a moment later, snapping its own jaws forward in a threatening manner.

But Lex just glared back, un-phased.

That is... she really WAS un-phased until she felt a large gush of hot air rush over her back. Rigid, Lex turned back around, her brown gaze locked onto the Queen's feral face looming inches before her. It was close. Too close.

The Queen hissed slowly as she drew her head even closer, making Lex turn her head slightly to the side. But the black woman never looked away. She couldn't look away. THIS was the hard meat that had mothered all the ones in the pyramid. SHE was the one who had the Warrior hard meat kill Scar.

Lips drawing back in a snarl, the Queen, still crouched to be face level with Lex, let out a vivid escalating shriek. The air from her tyrannical roar was stifling and hot as it streaked across Lex's face, whipping her dark brown curls behind her. Lex had to squint her eyes in order to even keep them open. Behind her, Lex knew the other hard meats were cowering. But she would not.

She would die rather than show fear to a hard meat ever again.

-o-o-o-

Blackness...

There was so much darkness around him. Beckoning him towards it...

The blackness whispered promises. No more pain. No more anger. No more fear...

Dripping like honey, the promises covered every memory he ever had, slowly clearing them from his mind. He could feel his memories slipping. Memories were what made him who he was. They were the unorganized collection that made a person the way they were.

And right now, with little registered care, he could feel them being achingly torn away in slow, unending torment. Except that it WOULD all end.

It would all end soon.

-o-o-o-

The shriek of the Queen was ear-shattering.

But Rave endured it, glad only that it had helped him locate the Ooman.

And there she was, a few yards from his position, crouching well within the shadows of the pillars lining the large cavern. The big Yautja barely registered that the chains on the Queen were broken and worn like jewelry rather than the restraints they had been designed for. He noted the large amount of hard meats, always one to eagerly assess the foes he was about to kill. And there were many of them to kill indeed.

But he found his eyes unusually drawn to the smallest figure among them. Dwarfed especially by the enormous bulk of the Queen hard meat. She stood her ground, her body facing squarely with the mother Kainde Amedha herself.

But most of all, she showed no fear.

Rave found an unbidden smirk twisting his mandibles.

There was no doubt about it now. She may be strange at times. She may be tiny. But she had a warrior's courage. He liked this Ooman.

And that was a lot to say, considering only a handful of days ago he wouldn't consider giving an Ooman a passing thought much less aid in an Ooman's survival. But this was different. She had killed hard meats. She was part of the Clan. No matter how blind Scar had been to it himself, Rave KNEW his smaller companion had started feeling for her.

Not only that, but now traits belonging to only those of the fiercest warriors were shining through. She had potential.

And Rave admired potential a lot.

-o-o-o-

Feeling half-deaf even after the Queen stopped shrieking aloud, Lex only stood and stared, awaiting what was to be her fate.

To be extremely truthful, Lex thought she was going to die on the spot. Have the Queen snap her head right off. Hell, why stop at the head? The huge hard meat would probably snap her body in half with one small bite.

But in a few moments Lex realized her fate was meant to be worse than that.

Movement to the side of the Queen caught her eye, and for some reason Lex felt an ominous urge to tear her gaze away for a moment. And true to the feeling in the pit of her stomach, what Lex saw made her guts tighten inside.

It was an egg. One of the Alien's eggs.

And the top of it was opening.

"Shit." Lex cursed, wanting to lead into a whole string of curses. She had no doubt who the egg was meant for.

But she did doubt whether or not she could come out of this one alive.

Noticing suspicious movement around her, Lex crouched low. She looked feral as she whipped her head around, careful to watch the dangerous environment that had never let up since she stepped inside.

Life or death. The thought struck her hard. It had always been life and death. But never more so than at THAT exact moment. Her humanity couldn't save her now. She couldn't depend on nonexistent compassion from the hard meats. She couldn't depend on mercy.

Lex felt herself slipping more and more into the only place she was safe. Her personality... her HUMANITY... was receding into her mind. And as it receded, something else more untamed and wild started to take over. Instinct wove itself more firmly into her limbs, swiftly disconnecting any slight hesitation.

Hesitation was death.

She... she wanted to live.

Rave could hardly believe the Ooman crouched in the middle of the room was the same person. It was as if a sudden change had come over her. She looked like a bundle of compressed muscles barely waiting for the moment to spring into savage action.

He almost didn't catch when the fight started, so surprised was he. Of course, later on if he survived he would never admit he was surprised. Rave? Surprised? Never.

Caught off guard? Possibly.

It was only when a Kainde Amedha suddenly hit the ground that Rave realized he had missed something. The Ooman was a whirl of movement, her medium length locks whipping behind her furiously fast form. The Queen shrieked her anger and slight delight, commanding her children subdue the soft meat immediately. She truly was a perfect candidate for one of her stronger breed.

Rave almost thought about surveying the battleground. He almost thought to wonder where his support would be most needed. Almost. But since Scar's death, he realized he no longer gave a fuck where the hell he was needed. This was a fight and he would do what he did best.

He would KILL all who opposed him.

Bellowing his presence in an honorary battle cry, the big Yautja was an explosion of muscles as he bounded head on into the fray.


	11. Death and Pain

Disclaimer: Not mine. The story plot is mostly mine. Not the whole concept.

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**Before: Lex is dragged off by Grid and a bunch of Kainde Amedha to the Queen. Rave manages to track their movements to the Queen's large chamber without giving away his position. The Queen tries to intimidate Lex. The human holds her ground, though it isn't until she learns her doomed fate that she starts to break loose, separating herself from her humanity itself in order to ensure her survival. As the hard meats are taken off guard, an impressed and angry Rave joins the battle.**

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Lex sat up with a strangled cry, fighting the unrelenting enemy that ensnared her.

It wasn't until she hit the floor that she realized a few things. One, there weren't any hard meats around her. Two, she wasn't fighting an enemy but rather a really hostile and large blanket. And three, she was in a medium sized room that looked VERY human.

No cold stones. No statues. No hard meats.

No danger.

Utterly confused, Lex lay where she had fallen, her breathing frantic and harsh.

The door to her room clanked open, drawing Lex's attention as she pushed herself upright, shoulder leaning against the bed frame for support. Her eyes found the form, outlined by light, standing in the doorway.

She was expecting a Yautja.

What she found was a human as she was.

"Are you all right, Ms. Woods?"

The Caucasian female, draped in a white coat, rushed forwards with hands held out. But in Lex's brain, it was triggered as an attack.

Backing away quickly, Lex didn't stop until the wall was against her back, effectively leaving only her front open to hostile actions. The nurse paused, her eyes wide as she took in her patient's reactions.

"What...?" Lex started to say, unable to even begin forming coherent sentences.

She was supposed to be fighting. She was SUPPOSED to be in the pyramid.

A jumbled assortment of images suddenly struck her, making her double over as if from a physical blow. A flash of hard meats. The Queen. Teeth. Pain. Blood. Screams.

"What-wha-WHAT THE FUCK!" Lex exclaimed, her brown eyes wide as she shot her gaze towards the equally panicked nurse, "What the hell am I DOING here! WHERE the hell! What the fuck HAPPENED!"

"Y-y-you need to c-calm down, Ms. Woods." The nurse stuttered in her frightened state, one hand clutching a clipboard and the other drifting out shakily in the brown woman's direction, "You h-have been through a difficult o-ordeal."

Like a startled horse, Lex stumbled away from the white female, her back pressed along the wall the whole way. This led to a lot of things clattering to the floor and a few broken glasses. Even as the nurse flinched with each sound of something shattering, Lex found she didn't care. She only wanted to get away. Stay safe.

That and figure what the hell happened.

That's when the dizziness struck. Disbelief mixing with confusion, Lex collapsed to the floor, finding the helping hands of the nurse guiding her back to the bed a moment later.

"It's all right. It's okay. That tunnel collapsed. You're the only one we found..." The nurse said soothingly as she placed the fallen sheets around the half-conscious black woman.

"Tunnel... collapsed...?" Lex muttered almost incoherently, her gaze un-focusing. The last she saw was the nurse's teal eyes before submerging into the dark depths of unconsciousness.

It wasn't until two days later than Lex found out where she was. She was on the Piper Maru, which was the huge tanker she had sailed in with at least a week before. The black woman had been silent for the most part, not speaking unless it was a question she needed answered. Though she finally managed to wrestle permission to walk on deck by her worried nurse.

Which is why she was leaning against the railing right now, a frown creasing her features that had nothing to do with the cold nipping at her bare face.

"Hypothermia, blood loss, and a slight concussion..." Lex's voice was carried off by a sudden harsh, biting breeze. The nurse had told Lex those were the major inflictions she had suffered from when she was brought on board. The blood loss was from multiple wounds, the scars of the deeper ones still lacerating her otherwise smooth skin on her limbs and torso. But, never one for outward beauty, Lex could care less. The only one that pained her still was the largest gash on her right shoulder. The nurse stated earlier they almost had to amputate it.

Shifting as she leaned slightly forward, Lex pressed her forehead against the freezing metal of the railing, her voice murmuring, "What happened...?"

As if in reply, the wind howled back at her.

Anger boiled just beneath the surface. Anger always seemed to be near hand now, something the usually calm Lex still hadn't gotten used to. She had always trained herself to become calm in tense and dangerous situations. She had barely held her resolve as she had climbed back down the mountain with her father. Right before... right before the blood clot ended it all. As much as it had hurt, at least she REMEMBERED it. The hell with remaining calm. Right now she just wanted to vent.

Hands clenching the railing in a death grip, Lex pushed herself up to the bottom railing and shouted at the top of her lungs, "WHAT the HELL HAPPENED? WHAT THE FUCK! What the-" Lex pushed herself back from the railing, stumbling onto her backside as a sudden wave of tremors overran her body, "What the- what the hell..." She pulled her knees up to her, cocooning herself as she whispered the last part, "What the hell... what...?"

She didn't understand. She could hardly remember what happened in the pyramid.

Where was her team? What were those monsters?

A flash of a silver mask, one of those humanoid monsters, resurfaced in her mind for a brief second. Then it was gone.

"Fuck this." Lex ranted bitterly, pushing herself to her feet. The nurse said it would all come back in time. Lex only had to give it time, "Well... fuck THAT idea."

The black woman was as ready as ever to just slam her head against the metal hull, the door, ANYTHING to see if she could just physically reverse the trauma her mind had suffered. She wanted to remember. She NEEDED to remember.

Didn't she?

All she kept seeing were flashes of monsters. Of aliens. Of her teammates mixed with blood.

Did she really want to remember?

"Ms. Woods!" The nurse rushed out to her, kneeling next to her trembling form, "I should never have allowed you to travel out here. Look at you, you're shivering you poor thing."

Numbly, Lex allowed the nurse to bundle her up in a thicker coat before guiding them both back inside.

As they were walking through a silent corridor, the nurse focused her concerned teal eyes on Lex's brown ones, "They keep pressing me, you know. They keep telling me to ask you what happened down there."

"I can't remember." Lex muttered.

"I KNOW that, Ms. Woods. But they don't... well... they don't care. They can be heartless bastards." The nurse said with a sigh.

"All they care about is the Weyland Company." Lex cast a dark gaze at the nurse beside her.

With a miserable sigh, the nurse replied sadly, "I know."

-o-**TWO DAYS EARLIER**-o-

The room was in chaos. Acid blood was spewing everything, transforming much of the floor into a bubbling mess. It didn't help that two huge, lava-filled pits already graced the room with its presence.

The two berserk humanoids could care less.

Rave snapped the spine of a hard meat, not sparing it another glance as he reached back to bodily toss a second one off of his back. Lex, despite her small form, was managing to hold her own. Rave almost suspected her body count matched his.

And that was quite a feat indeed.

Snarling viciously, the Yautja and Ooman backed into one another, simultaneously whipping around to tear the other apart. It was all action and no thought. Rave's muscled arm, arm blade extended, swiped at her neck. Lex ducked with inhuman speed without hesitating, closing the distance between them as she took up the opening made from Rave's wide sweep. In half a breath Rave was knocked to the ground, his stolen dagger in Lex's hand, poised to plunge into his throat. But no matter how fast or agile the Ooman was, Rave was still stronger.

Sage green eyes widening in recognition, Rave caught her small wrists within his huge hands, growling, "We are Clan!"

He was answered by unintelligible and vicious snarls.

Sensing more than seeing a handful of hard meats springing in to attack, Rave gripped her harder as he rolled both of them out of immediate danger. When Lex attampted to chew through his wrist, Rave jerked his hand away, directing a short angry bark at her, "Hey. HEY. I need that!"

Lex used the opening to dislodge Rave and turn to attack the hard meats. Despite her determination to live, her instincts told her that the bigger threat was the swarm of hard meats around them. If it came down to it, she would kill the Yautja as well. But later.

With an exasperated sigh, the greenish-brown Yautja pushed himself to his feet, eyes narrowing as he focused on the glint of metal in her hand.

She had his dagger. HIS dagger.

Shaking his head, Rave plunged himself back eagerly in battle. If they were to battle together, at least she was now armed.

The Queen was watching this with growing irritation. WHERE had that YAUTJA come from? And WHY were her children not taking care of this situation? Had she spawned a clutch of WEAKLINGS!?

They were winning. Taking a rare moment to look around at the battle scene, the big Yautja noticed there did not seem to be as many living hard meats as there had been before. And since the Queen wasn't even doing anyth-

The ground shook with thunderous foot steps.

Within his mask, Rave's eyes widened immensely. A larger than average tail crushed his torso as the Yautja found himself being lifted and bodily thrown against the wall. Before he could even think about getting up, the Queen was there again, her talons raking across netting, skin, and armor as she kicked him into the wall. Spots came across his vision and before his head could clear, Rave whipped out two Discs and hurled them blindly. One sliced a hard meat bystander through the chest while the other barely missed the Queen and struck a wall. The Queen shrieked her fury. For a moment, all Rave could see was a large hand coming towards him. A split second later, he was slammed into the ceiling four stories up, his numb and unconscious body slumping on one of the top ledges.

Having momentarily taken care of one menace, the Queen whipped her large cranium and centered in on the small figure fighting her children. Charging, the large black form barely gave her clutchlings warning before she plowed through them and pile drove into the soft meat. Dust rained down as a teeth-quaking crash resounded through the room.

Silence governed the room as the hard meats, frozen in place, looked on.

The Queen flicked her enormous tail, one hand outstretched and half-buried into the wall. As the dust slowly cleared, it became clear that the hard meat's hand was smothering something in her grasp. Between the constricting cage of the Queen's fingers and the unyielding wall, Lex found herself still alive... barely.

If she was still governed by her human mind, she would have wondered why she felt wet warmth gushing down one side. Would have wondered how much longer she had to live. Wonder what had happened to the Yautja. But being driven by a more base state of mind, Lex only noted the claw puncturing straight through her shoulder and the trapped position she was in.

Heaving for breath, the Ooman drew out an angered shout and attempted to lash out. But the Queen had her pinned. And the hard meat knew it.

'YOU...' The Queen hissed in thought-speech, directing it to the Ooman so she could actually understand, '...you not worth all this trouble.'

Lex read death in the hard meats expression. Death and pain.

With much relish, the Queen forced her imbedded talon deeper into the soft meat's shoulder.

Lex screamed.

-o-o-o-

The darkness was there. Cool. Calm. Slowly draining his life away.

But out of the darkness blossomed a surge of pain.

PAIN? What is this feeling?

Then again, why question it? Accept it and move on. Move on to the darkness. Forget the light.

-o-o-o-

Rave was slowly groaning atop his hidden ledge. Every molecule of his being ached. There was something that was happening.

Something was wrong.

Then what had startled him awake happened again.

The sound of the Ooman's pained scream cut straight through Rave's heart. THIS is why female Yautja do not fight alongside males. The effect of their pain was maddening.

The sound of a female's tormented cry was enough to freeze a male Yautja to the core. Very few could shake off such a feeling and come to her aide.

Very few could. And with his wounds as bad as they were, Rave would be lucky to run much less fight off the Queen and her horde.

There was not much hope that he could save her.

Just then, her scream shattered the cold air once more.

-o-o-o-

Three times now! He winced. Three times such tremendous pain ripped viciously through him.

But how could this be? There was only darkness.

Only darkness, nothingness, and the cold embrace of oblivion.

With what could he feel pain? How could nothingness feel pain?

Then all of a sudden, the fourth scream pierced the darkness. Scar felt as if he could see once more. He knew who he was. He knew his past.

But he was focused on the NOW more than anything.

Her scream. It had been the Ooman's scream. It all came to Scar in an assortment of images he couldn't have possibly seen. He had not been there, but he still saw Rave, struggling to get up. He saw the room full of Kainde Amedha. But most of all, he saw what the large Queen was currently tormenting in her hand.

Suddenly, Scar's vision was not so clear anymore.

Suddenly, all he wanted to see was blood and more blood.

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-gasps- Scar, revived? Who woulda' seen that comin'? -smirks- Truth be told, I thought I'd get a LOT more angry ppl. Ah well...


	12. Blood Talon

Disclaimer: For the billionth time, no, I'm not dumb enough to say I own AvP when I obviously do not.

A/N: -grins, amused- Did everyone REALLY think I was gonna kill Scar off? Haha, I have to admit I was surprised when the story turned that way. I mean, I'm just the writer. I have no clue where the ideas come from. Somewhere in my head...

Reviews amuse, surprise, and inspire me. My thanx to those who leave them for this author to read.

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**Before: Lex, utterly confused and slightly weakened, finds herself back on the Piper Maru. Her memory of the events in the pyramid is seriously distorted and she is at pains just trying to remember what happened. Did she really WANT to know what happened? And just so everyone wouldn't be irritated as well as left in the dark, events two days earlier are being reenacted. Such as Lex and Rave fighting side by side against the hard meats, Rave getting knocked out by the Queen, Lex being pinned, AND Scar coming back to life. Brought back from the brink by the screams of the Ooman, Scar is NOT a happy Yautja. He is seriously pissed.**

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All Scar could hear was his blood drumming angrily in his ears. All he could feel were the tension in his muscles straining with enough strength to snap a hard meat in half. All he could see...

All he could see was the Ooman in the middle of the room.

She was in pain. And Scar found he did not like the thought one bit.

-o-o-o-

Up on the ledge, Rave jolted to his feet. He could literally feel the other Yautja's presence in the room, it was so strong.

(He survived...) The big Yautja said with awe and disbelief, (He made it back...)

-o-o-o-

Lex writhed in pain, her knuckles white as her hands grasped the impaled talon futilely. Her human mind was resurfacing, or at least it was beginning to. But that was NOT a good idea.

Body twitching violently at the spasms of pain wrenching through her, Lex knew instinctively that such a sentimental mind as her human one would never survive such an experience.

It would break her.

If she did not die here first, that is...

The Queen was smirking. If hard meats could smirk, the Queen definitely had a huge one smack dab in the middle of her slime-coated, midnight black face. The Queen's massive black form drew closer to the soft meat she dragged across the floor. The Ooman had suffered enough. The mother hard meat could smell the tang of blood all over the soft meat's form.

Snarling, the Queen coiled her tail up next to the crown of her head, 'Time to DIE...'

Lex found her brown eyes drawn to the tail. This was it. Her animal side had receded in defeat, her mind softening under the haze of pain. She would die, just as Scar had. Impaled...

Suddenly a yellowish-brownish form, clad in armor, sprang into the air. The few seconds he was suspended, his body twisted into the lethal weapon he had trained it to be, as Scar's amber eyes sought out and locked onto Lex's.

Her voice too numb from screaming earlier, Lex could only gape in disbelief. Was she dreaming?

Scar acknowledged her breathing form, relief rushing through him. Relief and then anger at the sight of her blood soaked form. Anger at the Queen's talon impaled viciously in the Ooman's shoulder. His own blood turned to ice at the torture he could have saved her from if he just... hadn't died.

His hardened amber eyes chilled Lex to the bone. She hoped dearly it wasn't HER he was mad at.

Focus snapping back to the matter at hand, Scar knew only one thing. The Queen would pay.

The exchange of glances had only lasted the briefest of seconds. Moments later, the in-air suspension gave into gravity and the Yautja warrior dropped like a powerful surge of controlled lightning and muscles. His drawn back arm whipped forward to hack off the tail. In that same moment, Scar bounded off the stock-still and severely shortened appendage, to spring back onto the Queen's sweeping crown.

It wasn't until the Yautja's feet made contact with her hardened skull that the Queen realized she had been attacked. Squealing in pain and rage, she whipped her mutilated tail, not caring where her acidic blood hit. Feeling her attacker settled on her sweeping skull, the Queen hissed her anger and jerked her arms up to claw him off. In that simple action, Lex was hurled through the air, freed from the claw only to slam with a bone-shaking thud against a stone pillar.

Her mind going dangerously dark and blurry, Lex found herself crumpled on the floor, her limbs refusing to move.

Scar had caught her blood-streaked form falling limp against the pillar. Crouching precariously atop the Queen's large skull, the Yautja could only holler his anger with a brief, loud bark before the anger became too great to express only with noise. Biceps and neck chords straining, Scar gripped the edges of the Queen's crown harder. He dodged her clawing hands, managing not to get hurled off as she tossed her head back and forth with climbing vexation.

With a guttural grunt, Scar strained his leg muscles as well before he heard a satisfying CRUNCH. He had loosened her skull from the rest of her body slightly. If the hard meat had eyes, they would be bulging right about now. The Yautja on her back was not only an irritation, he was a menace. He was trying to separate her head while she was still alive! And from the intense pain and sudden loss of feeling on the left side of her body, she could only pale and rage at the fact that he was actually succeeding.

'PROTECT YOUR QUEEN!' The mother hard meat raged at her hatchlings, her efforts to throw the Yautja redoubling and tripling in strength.

The hard meats, who had been watching warily and nervously on the sidelines, rushed headlong towards the lone Predator on their mother's shoulder blades. He was clinging to her back with all he was worth, knowing the Queen wouldn't give him half a second more of life the moment his feet touched the ground. But he wasn't clinging in fear.

He was holding on with fury blazing at his core.

But they forget... Scar hadn't come into the pyramid on his own.

Bellowing loud enough to draw all focus onto him, Rave bounded off the ledge in one leap, slinging all five of his Discs out at once. Next he withdrew his net gun, firing it off at the largest cluster of hard meats there was. And still, he was falling through the air.

For some unexplainable reason, he had felt a surge of strength the moment Scar had entered the room. It was as if Rave had been able to extract a sliver of energy that was radiating off his smaller companion in intense waves. Withdrawing his arm blades as well as his wristblades, Rave landed with a loud 'THUMP' on the floor, ready to dish out some pain, (No one... NO ONE interrupts Scar until he's done.)

The hard meats had no doubt what the Yautja meant by 'done'. Without the Queen, the Hive was done for. Without the Queen, their lives would be meaningless. There would be no eggs to protect. There would be no future generation to lead or slaughter for their defiance. There would be no voice to guide them...

With toughened resolve, the hard meats threw themselves at Rave's massive form. He was only all too happy to answer back with equal ferocity.

Lex coughed, her body curled up into itself.

Her mind was a dribble of confused thought, 'Wha... where... JESU fuckin' CHRIST!' The last thought had, obviously, been stated after her muscles spasmed in pain and she had coughed out some blood.

Looking numbly at the blood covering her hand, Lex's eyes were drawn up to the battle scene before her. So many bodies...

So many dead hard meats...

The Yautjas. Lex's head snapped up. Rave was fighting. Yes... but that's not what...

"Scar..." Lex's voice croaked out, her eyes transfixed on the figure riding the Queen like a razor-sharpened alien cowboy rodeo. Except deadlier.

How had he...? What had happ...?

Lex gave up questioning things and continued watching, feeling the edge of worry creep into her thoughts as she saw the edges of her vision slightly blur.

Scar dug his wristblades into the back of the Queens spine with slight difficulty. She reared back the moment the cold metal tore through her thickened husk. Never had she experienced such pain!

(Blood for blood...) Scar nearly whispered, his voice filled with venom as he recalled the image of the Queen torturing the Ooman, (Blood. For. Blood.)

Knowing the danger of the newly open, acidic wound, Scar was reluctant to remain in the same spot for more than a few moments. The pyramid rumbled, but Scar didn't pay it any mind. No matter how many times the passages of the structure changed, this room always remained the same.

It had been this Queen's prison for centuries.

And Scar was going to ensure it would be her tomb.

The Queen, however, had other plans. Despite the lack of good coordination with her left side, the mother hard meat charged towards the wall, springing forward only to continue her fast pace up the vertical side of the wall. With the use of her right arm and leg, the Queen made good time up the wall and four stories up to the ceiling. Her loosened skull ground painfully against her spine, eliciting a loud shriek from her slathering jaws.

Scar was having some difficulty keeping his hold while avoiding the acid blood that dripped from the hard meat's open wounds. Using arm muscles that trembled with exertion from when the Queen had been trying to buck him off, Scar pulled himself up higher on her back. Before she could realize what he was doing, Scar sprung and gripped the edge of her crowned skull.

Something in her spinal column snapped. The Queen shrieked in a different kind of tone. It was the scream of the dying. She lost feeling in her right limbs, feeling her vision growing dark.

It took Scar a moment to realize they were falling. He had to move.

He had to get away from her falling body or he might be crushed.

Lex, her gaze upwards, let out a strangled gasp. With the last of her strength, the Queen had whipped out her tail, wrapping it tightly around Scar's body to keep him in place behind the large crown of her skull.

Rave, finding his opponents all suddenly stock still, whipped his head around to look at what they were all staring at. The big Yautja was heartened at the sight of the Queen's massive form falling to, what looked like, her death. He was heartened until he noticed that Scar was trapped near the edges of her skull.

The two fell in slow motion, all watchers holding their breath.

Scar continued to grapple against the tail that sought to trap him in this soon to be death trap. The edge of her large skull was pressed against his throat. This did not bode well if she fell on top of him like that.

"No... no..." Lex's voice sounded small as was unable to avert her gaze, "No..."

They were going to hit the ground!

Two things happened at once. Scar yanked one arm free even as he aimed and fired with his Plasmacaster.

Lex and Rave couldn't help but flinch as the large impact resounded through the room, cracking the stone floor the two bodies hit and raising a whole cloud of dust. Vision obscured, Lex was left painfully in the dark while Rave stiffened immensely.

(SCAR?) Rave called out, his mandibles clicking in worry. If the stones in this place hadn't emitted their own strange heat signal, then the dust cloud wouldn't have bothered him at all. But they did and the conflicting heat signatures were messing with his own vision as much as the dust was with Lex's.

Lex didn't start breathing again until she heard a cough in reply. She was even more relieved when the dust cloud settled, allowing her to see what the hell was going on.

That last plasma blast had, apparently, severed the Queen's tail.

'That's a good thing, right? That means he must've been able to pull away from the body slightly.' But even as she thought that, Lex knew inside that it had been too late for Scar to do much. He hadn't been able to move away.

The realization was confirmed by the sight of Scar lying pinned, the crown of the Queen's skull jutting against Scar's throat. Lex and Rave blanched.

He was choking.

It could have been worse. If Scar hadn't freed his arm, he wouldn't have been able to alleviate the sudden weight on his collarbone at the point of impact. His neck would have snapped. Instead he was just laying there, slowly choking to death at the immense weight that pressed itself against his neck.

Snapping out of his initial shock, Rave bounded forward, hands ready to grasp and pull the dead weight off of his companion.

Scar may have severed the tail, but the rigid coil was still wrapped in a constricting bound around him, leaving him unable to reach weapons nor shift to attempt and get better leverage. After he had shot with his Plasmacaster, the tip of the tail had even managed to entangle itself around the gun, making any of its movements impossible. All he had was his arm, and that was tiring rapidly as he fought to keep the dead Queen's skull from cutting his air supply off fully.

But the hard meats had other ideas. Their rage and fury-filled raptor cries and shrieks filled the air. As one, they surged forward, intent on avenging their mother's death.

Growling, Rave planted himself before the massive body and his friend trapped underneath, vicious in Scar's defense. The hard meats could attack all they like, but Rave would counter their deadly intents readily.

If only that were all the big Yautja had to worry about. He could hear Scar struggling to get free behind him.

If the Kainde Amedha would just let up for a couple of seconds...

But the Aliens weren't planning on doing anything of the sort. Adrenaline still pumping, Rave caught a few of the returning Discs only to fling them out once more in quick succession.

Lex lay where she had fallen, her eyes half-lidded as she began to feel more of the effects of her life blood seeping out. She felt so drained. But she found her eyes drawn towards the struggling Yautja time and time again. It was an impossible sight to behold. The warrior was like a downed tiger being slowly crushed by the immense bulk of a medium-sized whale. And yet he still fought. Still, he struggled for the life he had gained mere moments before.

Laying there, attempting to fight off the weight upon him, Scar wasn't so sure he could escape the darkness's cold grip if he died once more.

Inside, the young Yautja could feel his lungs straining for more breath than what was able to slip through his compressed airways. Coughing uncontrollably, Scar found it terribly difficult to remain calm, as all warriors had been trained. Calm under tension. He needed calm to think. But his body and mind was rebelling. There was no time to BE calm! He was suffocating!

Lex couldn't tear her eyes away. But she also found herself frozen in place.

The Aliens weren't attacking her. They were too focused on getting the one who had killed their Queen. Lex caught Rave glancing over every once in a while, as if checking if she was still alive.

Scar could feel tremors racing uncontrollably through his muscles. Muscles that were aching from lack of breath. His one arm was strained trying to keep the dead hard meat's body off his jugular. He couldn't find his calm.

He couldn't find his CALM.

Why was it so important? His slowly suffocating mind was running in circles trying to remember why he needed to be calm. Ironically, he needed it to think. And needed to think to plan. And he needed to plan in order to survive.

But before he could do any of that, he needed to be calm.

The edges of his vision was beginning to cloud in the familiar dark he had been trapped in moments before. Was it too late?

Compelled to turn his head, Scar thought he had shifted his gaze to focus on Rave's form. The big Yautja was fighting mere yards away from him, after all. But no. His vision zoomed into a seemingly crumpled form, her half-lidded gaze catching his masked amber ones.

His composure melting, his strength waning, Scar continued to hold her gaze, unwilling to let go. She had been there the first time he had been taken by the darkness all warriors fall to sooner or later. She had been there last time, holding him. Comforting him.

She had spilled tears of sorrow. For him.

Scar felt the late arrival of calm finally descend on him. But it came too late. He wasn't as strong as he had been in the beginning of his struggles. Lack of air to his muscles ensured that. The calm descended despite everything.

He found the calm from simply gazing into her brown eyes.

He found it, and realized he did not fear death. Not so long as those eyes were the last thing he saw before his breath was finally taken away forever.

Lex felt her heart leap the moment his eyes locked onto hers. Despite the mask, she felt as if she could see his amber gaze as clearly as day. And not only that, but she felt something... else.

Something deeper. A pull from the dying Yautja's gaze.

For that's what was happening to Scar. He was dying.

Again.

"No." Lex's weak voice stated harshly, surprising her in the tone of her own conviction.

She would NOT let him die again.

He had saved her once more. She would not let his sacrifice come unpaid a second time.

Ignoring the blood gushing out as she moved, ignoring the pain flaring in every fiber of her being as she stood, ignoring the look of surprise in Scar's slowly hollowing eyes, Lex stumbled forward.

Her movement caught the attention of a few hard meats. Hissing in anger, a group of them sprung towards her, claws outstretched.

Growling, Rave halted their sudden assault, placing himself between them and the Ooman. He didn't know what she planned to do, but the big greenish-brown Yautja would keep both beings alive while he could.

'What is she...?' Scar's sluggish mind couldn't even finish the questioning thought. The Ooman was stumbling towards him, blood gushing at every shaken step she took.

His throat terribly try and squeezed, he managed to rasp out one word, (...No...)

She would get herself killed! She needed to stay still. She needed to...

Scar could no longer think past a few jumbled phrases. He merely watched her with darkening eyes. His heartbeat was slowing. The yellowish-brownish Yautja's grip was slipping, allowing more of the dead Queen's weight to crush him.

Lex didn't know what she planned to do. She didn't know why she forced herself to make it to his side. Maybe so they could die together?

NO.

She appreciated Rave's big presence, though she barely acknowledged the attack that had almost been launched against her. Rave was like a berserk warrior. His muscles were bulging, his blades whipping faster than the eye could follow. The only sounds coming from him were snorts, growls, and bellows of guttural cries. And they weren't cries of anguish.

Stumbling to her knees next to Scar's trapped form, Lex frantically tore at the tail still binding him.

Scar's voice was gravelly as he attempted to nod his head towards her bleeding wounds, (...Don't...)

Through all the pain and haze, Lex fastened her eyes on Scar's masked face, her gaze fixed specifically where his eyes would be underneath the visor. Clenching her teeth, Lex replied in a determined voice, "I WON'T... I won't let you-"

A hard meat made it past Rave's guard, his form crouched low as he hurdled towards the unprotected Ooman's back.

Scar's eyes widened, his mandibles opened to warn her. But all that came out was an expelled breath. He could not... he was not able to gather enough breath to speak much less shout.

Good thing Lex didn't need to hear his words.

Reading the tensing of his form as much as the widening of his mandibles, Lex remained stoic, her eyes holding his even as he continued watching her with growing alarm. Why was she just standing there? The foolish Ooman needed to move!

Scar struggled for breath. Struggled to gather enough air to shout something, anything, to get her to acknowledge the raptor of death coming up from behind. But Lex knew. Her eyes were so calm.

'Is this... how it ends?' Lex wondered for a brief moment. But the thought lasted barely long enough for it to surface her subconscious before she ground it to dust. She had a life to save.

Maybe her old team had been wasted. But she was with a new one now. And she would not let her teammates die.

Pivoting at the last second, Lex allowed the hard meat to barrel past her and stumble towards the Queen's dead body. She didn't notice the blood that gushed out her shoulder as she twirled into a roundhouse kick, sending the hard meat with more momentum than its skull could stand against the Queen's jagged chitin armor. The hard meat was dead. Lex was bleeding profusely.

But she didn't care. The momentum of the beast had moved the mother hard meat's bulk ever-so-slightly. Stepping up before the moment was lost, Lex dug her heels into the ground and pushed.

Scar wheezed as millimeter by slowly painful millimeter, the weight over his throat and chest lessened. His vision had been going black, but now he blinked and shuddered involuntarily as his body slowly came back to life. Thrashing with renewed vigor, Scar managed to loosen his other arm before he felt a wave of weariness rush over him.

He turned his eyes towards the Ooman standing over him, her body trembling visibly under the strain of trying to lift the body off him alone. He felt something warm dripping onto the open palm of his newly freed arm. Shifting his gaze, Scar felt as if a barrel full of icy water from the tundra wastelands had been poured into his veins. It wasn't water. Nor was it the acid of the hard meat's body.

The blood was dripping from the frail Ooman standing over him.

Enough breath had been restored that he was able to rasp out, (Stop this...) She may have lifted the body somewhat off of his jugular, but she could not possibly hope to topple the entire Queen's bulk off of him.

Each time she strained a single muscle, more blood would drip out.

Each time she flexed her arm, the flow of blood would rush out faster.

Even for a dark-skinned Ooman she seemed entirely too pale.

(STOP.) Scar demanded.

His hand was covered in her blood. A sudden slip and Lex cried out, the body pressing more into Scar's neck, more of her life blood gushing onto Scar's hand.

(STOP THIS!) Scar managed to rasp before his air supply was cut off once more.

Her unfocused eyes turned towards him, her brown gaze capturing his. It was then that he realized she was mumbling something under her breath.

"...won't let you... I won't let you... won't let you..." Lex repeated through gritted teeth. She couldn't hear Scar. She couldn't hear anything around her. All she heard was the mantra she kept repeating aloud. All she felt was the strain of the dead hulk she was trying to shove off. All she saw...

All she saw was the Yautja she was going to save.

"I won't." She positioned her feet for better leverage, "Let." Her grip on the Queen's crown tightened, "You!"

In a sudden surge of flexed muscle and strained tendons, Lex gave an animalistic cry as she finally shoved the entire hulk off of the trapped Yautja. Scar didn't realize he was shouting right with her, his amber gaze trained on her face. After a stretched second, Lex found herself with her arms outstretched, the Queen's body flung against the wall and off of Scar.

Lex was staring at the body she had just tossed. How had she...?

Stumbling a step forward, Lex brought her gaze back towards the Yautja still lying trussed up on the ground. Why was her vision so blurry? Why was everything covered in such a haze?

Lifting her hand, Lex brought her fingertips to her eyes, not knowing that Scar's gaze followed her every movement. As she brought her hand away, she saw the clear liquid covering them.

Tears.

She was crying and she hadn't even noticed.

That's when she looked towards the wound she had on her shoulder. So much blood.

There was so much blood.

Lex allowed a grin to tug at her face as she returned her brown gaze to Scar. She was swaying on her feet, her head feeling terribly dizzy. A small part of her mind acknowledged that she probably wasn't going to make it.

But all that mattered was that she had saved him.

She had lost her footing, her slumped body toppling to the ground. Scar, a flex of muscles and a blur of blades, was there to catch her before she could fall on the ground. She was in his arms before she even realized she was falling. Which was alarming considering she had been a fraction of a second from hitting the ground.

Scar was kneeling, one arm around her shoulders, the other holding her close.

He inspected her wounds with his mask, realizing just how bad they were, especially the one on her shoulder.

(What were you thinking?) Scar asked softly, his brow ridge creased as he tried to acknowledge that she would die. They had medicines, but the treatment was formulated for the Yautja's physiology.

'Giving it to her would probably send Lex to her death faster.' Scar thought to himself. That's when he started. Since when had he started thinking of the Ooman as Lex?

But he wrestled his attention back to the soft meat in his arms as she parted her lips to speak, "I... I..."

(What?) Scar encouraged her to go on, his voice a slight purr.

There was that small grin on her face again. As she forced her eyes to focus on Scar's face, hovering a foot from her own, "I wouldn't let you die..."

Her eyes grew out of focus then, her grip on his forearm lessening as her head lolled to the side.

Her words sent a shiver through his system. She wouldn't... LET him die? Scar hadn't realized she had even cared. He hadn't realized...

(No...) Scar trilled softly, his hand delicately stroking the side of her face, right over the mark on her cheek.

She was Ooman. But she was clan as well.

Having heard their shouts, Rave finally managed to get a breather from his battle and see what had happened. What he saw was not what he had expected at all. The Ooman had rolled the body right off of Scar. Not just rolled. The Queen's body had lifted at least a yard off the ground as the Ooman tossed it forward. Then the hard meats had clamored for Rave's attention once more.

Dealing a few more harsh and lethal blows, Rave glanced back over his shoulder to find Scar on his knees, cradling the Ooman's small form in his arms. Whipping his head back to glance at the stream of hard meats, the bigger Yautja realized that there were just too many.

Grabbing the tail of the nearest one, the greenish-brown Yautja flung its body across several of its brethren, buying him precious seconds. Punching the code into the wrist bomb, Rave calculated enough time for them to escape and shoved it, with a sickening 'splurch', into the nearest Alien egg he could find.

(SCAR!) Rave barked.

Scar's head whipped up, his dreadlocks flinging outwards as he turned.

(We NEED to GO!) Rave continued, pointing at his wrist. At Scar's nod, he added, (Take your trophy and let's go!)

Darting a look at the dead Queen's hulk, Scar returned his gaze to the Ooman in his arms before he shook his head, (No, I cannot.)

He could not carry both the Ooman and the Queen's skull. And he would not let her go. Not while she lived.

Rave only had to flicker his gaze over the pale Ooman and the resolve in Scar's eyes. The trophies were usually the ultimate goal and prize of those who thought themselves brave enough to pass the trials of the Hunt. But then again, Scar did not always go with the path of least resistance. He did not favor himself meek enough to follow along with everyone's beliefs and was not arrogant enough to even care if he didn't return with his rightful kill.

The trophies were great. But right now something else, something alive, meant more to Scar than a dead trophy ever could.

Rave understood. This, of course, did not make him scoff any less in disbelief. Just because Scar had his hands full didn't mean Rave couldn't lend a hand. Without another thought, Rave himself darted off towards the Queen's dead body. He had enough trophies of his own.

The Aliens were forging forward, a tide of them rushing into the slaughter. Snarling angrily, Scar aimed and fired his PlasmaCaster faster than anyone could blink. Hard meats were falling left and right, their target shifting from the big Yautja prying their Queen's skull to the Yautja firing at them with a soft meat in his arms.

Scar held the hard meats at bay as Rave ripped the skull off. It was easy since Scar had loosened it already. Shrugging it over his shoulder, careful not to get the acid blood or her spikes into him, Rave shouted at Scar, (Let's GO!)

Nodding once, Scar started to follow the bigger Yautja when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Darting back to the body, Scar continued his stream of fire, his legs a blur.

Noticing the other Yautja wasn't with him, Rave looked back and stopped, growling, (WHAT are you doing SCAR!)

Ignoring the bigger Yautja, Scar honed in on the dead mass, eyes scouring for the talon that was covered in red blood. Ooman blood. There it was! Keeping one arm cradled under the Ooman, Scar used the other to tug the talon free.

A hard meat rushed at them, all hissing and teeth. But Scar simply booted it away from the Ooman pressed against his chest, an enraged snarl tinting his voice.

Still, the talon wouldn't come free. And his rapid firing was not getting all of hard meats, who were getting closer and faster by the second.

Suddenly, Rave was there, his blade whistling as it cut through the air and embedded into finger that had laid claim to the talon. Growling his thanks, Scar finally yanked it free.

(NOW. Let's go.)

Scar didn't put up any resistance or argument as he sprinted alongside the bigger warrior. He just hoped they'd make it outta there before their bodies could be added to the pile of rubble this site was soon to become.


	13. Abandoned

Disclaimer: Yeah-no, I do not own AvP.

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**Before: Scar sprang into the air, cutting off the very tip of the Queen's tail before Lex could be impaled. Flung against a stone pillar, Lex couldn't get her body to respond as Scar continued to kick some Alien Queen ass. The Queen tries to get her underlings to overpower Scar, but a newly charged Rave has other plans as he goes berserk in order to slaughter tide after surging tide of hard meats. The battle between Scar and the Queen result with one very dead Alien mother crushing the life and breath out of Scar. Though already weakened by her wounds and loss of blood, Lex realizes she's the only one who could help save Scar. Not wanting to lose him a second time, Lex defies all that would seek to weaken and kill her to get the Queen's dead husk off of Scar. All are surprised when the Ooman actually manages to fling the gigantic form off of the Yautja warrior. Lex lost consciousness after telling a very shocked Scar that she wouldn't let him die. After setting the bomb, Rave strongly recommends Scar haul ass and take his Queen trophy. But Scar won't leave the Ooman, nor will he let her go while she lives. Raking away any argument, Rave takes it upon himself to bring Scar's trophy with them. Scar barely manages to pry the red blooded talon off the Queen before he, too, joins Rave in their hasty departure.**

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The hardened skull of the hard meats' Queen beat against his shoulder blades with each massive lunging step Rave made. But the big Yautja didn't even notice the huge weight over his shoulders.

His concentration was turned towards getting out of that pyramid before it exploded and crumbled.

With them still inside of it.

The bigger Yautja turned his gaze in a sidelong glance towards Scar and the Ooman he carried. He had never believed the stories when he had heard them.

Stories of brave warriors standing within death's clutches, only to fight their way back to the land of the living once more. He had heard of the tales told by the old ones and he had always been among the younglings who scoffed at such foolishness. Brave, a warrior may be, but to turn aside death itself? Rave never believed there had been anything worth staving off death for.

Until now.

His sage gaze was uncharacteristically piercing as he observed the two beings beside him. The grip Scar had on the female was protective, to say the least. Why couldn't Scar admit his feelings for their new clanmate?

'Stubborn fool,' Rave thought to himself, chuckling even as he snapped his focus back onto the task at hand.

Scar didn't notice the observing gaze the other Yautja had sent him. Hell, he barely noticed where his deadly, yet gracefully swift strides took him. His mind was half there. A dangerous prospect, considering how he had died last time by not paying enough attention to his surroundings.

But right now, the Yautja couldn't give a damn about where his mind was.

His thoughts were running around full circle.

The Ooman was dying. He could feel her warmth seeping from the very body in his arms. Her lips were pale and she trembled ever-so-slightly. Unconsciously, Scar tightened his grip and quickened his pace. A pace which Rave hastily fell into lest he suddenly found himself left behind.

'What can I DO?' Scar rambled angrily in his mind.

Their medicines couldn't help her. HE hadn't been paying attention well enough to the Ooman anatomy courses back at their home world. And he knew, with as much conviction that his own eyes were amber, that RAVE certainly hadn't been paying attention either. Well, except for the parts where the teachers revealed spots of the Ooman body that you could inflict the most damage or pain upon.

Scar sure as hell couldn't leave her here. And who KNOWS what repercussions would result from bringing her onto the Yautja Hunting ship.

Which led full circle back to Scar's original thought.

'WHAT CAN I DO?' Scar ground his mandibles so loudly even Rave started for a second, wondering where the ominous noise came from, 'HOW do I SAVE her?'

They didn't even see it coming.

Rave was actually half-turned towards Scar, about to comment asininely about something, when the surprise attack struck them.

Burdened already by the huge skull he carried, Rave was instantly knocked off-balance the moment the hard meat pounced on him. The big Yautja had tossed the skull off to the side and out of the way, but by then he had already fallen over the edge.

Scar barely had time to watch in shock as Rave's dreadlocks whipped down over the ledge before Grid turned on him.

Sickly yellow criss-crosses gleaming in the low light, Grid bypassed the Yautja's protective embrace and aimed straight for the unconscious Ooman cradled in Scar's arms. Dodging a feint the hard meat had made, Scar wasn't prepared when he suddenly found his arms empty and Lex's body flying through the air.

She hit the wall. HARD.

Even Rave, who had managed to ensnare his wristblades into the cliff wall by this point, declared later that he had heard the sound of Lex's skull colliding with stone.

Scar was blind and overcome with a red wall of rage. He couldn't ever remember being so furious. Besides the time Rave had almost gotten them both kicked out of the training trials. But that didn't even compare to his anger right now. It was equal only to the rage he had felt back in the Queen's chamber.

Roaring for all to hear, Scar ignored all thoughts to be careful and charged as blindly as Rave would on a bad day. He couldn't even remember what happened. All he could recall was the sting of acid, the spilling of blood, and breaking at least two of Grid's limbs.

By the time Rave had pulled himself back onto the walkway, the hard meat had turned tail and run with Scar about to dart off after it in hot pursuit.

Growling, Rave grabbed Scar's muscled bicep before the latter could rush off, (We NEED to go!)

Scar's head whipped around to glare Rave square in the face, his breathing so harsh his chest armor rose and fell a great amount. Much to his surprise, Rave found the glare spoke volumes the other Yautja would never utter without a half-joking air.

He really saw his death in Scar's eyes. If Rave got in Scar's way, Scar would kill him.

Since this wouldn't be very fortunate for either Rave's or Scar's well-being, Rave decided to really work his brain and think of another way to get the Young Blood Yautja to forget about Grid and hightail it out of there.

Fortunately, he found the solution easier to find than he thought.

(Where is the Ooman?)

Scar's eyes widened, the blood lust clearing from them as he cursed in multiple languages. Previous hard meat quarry and death-threat to his friend forgotten, Scar rushed over to the Ooman's slumped form.

As the yellowish-brownish Yautja checked on her health, Rave bounded over with the Queen's skull slung over his shoulder once more.

But Scar didn't need to be told again. Picking the Ooman up as tenderly as possibly, Scar nodded once to Rave before they ran like they had never run before.

By the time they had reached the sled at the bottom of the tunnel, they heard the ominous rumblings of the bomb's detonation. At which point their eyes nearly bulged from under their masks.

(I thought you said you gave us enough time!) Scar hissed, even as he threw himself on the sled, the Ooman held carefully beside him.

Punching the console to start the contraption, Rave barely jumped on before it sped upwards, growling, (I DID. How was I supposed to know that I would end up being flung half-way down a ravine while you had all the fun trying to rip apart the-)

The rest of his words were blotted out as the massive shockwave moments ahead of the detonation finally whipped past. The Yautja's grips tightened even as they heard the motorized whirr of the sled getting out of control.

Dreadlocks whipping furiously behind them, Scar rumbled, (When I catch up to that hard meat-)

(Unless I get to it first.) The bigger Yautja interjected, his mandibles grinding together as he added, (It attempted to take my life blood before, remember?)

(We'll see.) Scar clicked in challenge, his mandibles twitching slightly into a tilting grin. He turned his amber gaze more seriously to the pale brown face beside him. Moments later they were flying through the air, the sled whining as it attempted to grip the steel chord that was no longer there to follow.

With a sudden jerk, the sled slammed back into cold surface of abandoned whaling station, the snow parting as the sled continued to plough on through.

Before they had even come to a complete stop, the Yautja's were up and on their feet, Queen skull and Ooman in tow as they outran the cracks racing along the icy surface.

(A little out of shape?) Scar commented challengingly, his tone light considering the dire situation.

(Do you WANT your Queen trophy?) Rave growled back in a clicked burst, his mandibles stretched widely into a grin. The kind of grin that only showed up with death nipping at your heels. In their case, it was literal.

(That's all right.) Scar tossed back conversationally, (I'll just take your skull instead.)

Rave barked out in laughter at that one, shaking his head even as he stepped up the pace. A split second behind them a large chunk of ice suddenly separated and plunged into the unforgiving depths beneath them.

Rave blinked, turning his head slowly to Scar in shock, (You know... you could have just told me to run faster.)

Scar grinned, (And miss your reaction right now? Nah.)

Rave gave him a look, (You're such a little fucker sometimes, you know that?)

(And your brain's as dense as a Grpka's saliva. What else is new?) Scar shrugged, his grin wild as he sped off even faster.

Rave glanced back once before speeding up as well, (You just wait until we get back to the ship. Let's see who's grinning then.)

Scar was ready to throw something insulting back, a wide grin still on his face, when a realization struck him.

Back to the ship?

Scar quieted after that, his thoughts turning to grimmer matters. Once the rumbling had stopped and they had gained a safe distance, Scar halted in place. He didn't take in the fact that they were standing inside the bones of a large and very dead whale. He just turned to look hard at Rave as he said, (We can't.)

(What?) Rave grunted, shifting the skull he carried over his shoulder, completely lost on what Scar was talking about.

(We CANNOT go back to the ship.) Rave nodded his head towards the Ooman in his arms, (What about her?)

Rave frowned, (She's part of the Clan. What's the pr-)

(SHE'S DYING.) Scar snapped, his dreadlocks snapping as he jerked his head to send a glare towards his younger yet bigger companion. He knew Rave could be a little slow sometimes. But on matters as important as THIS...?

(We have healers-) Rave started to argue.

But Scar knew time was short as he growled, (And if they can't heal her? WHAT then? Every moment we breathe, she's losing life blood. She's BEEN losing life blood ever since the battle in the throne room!)

The rest spoke for itself. They couldn't risk taking her to their ship. Hard-headed as some of their healers were, Scar and Rave both knew they just might be stubborn enough to accidentally kill her.

Thankfully, Rave didn't need further explanation.

But what the big Yautja said next surprised Scar so much that the yellowish-greenish Yautja wondered how he couldn't have thought of it himself.

(What about the Ooman's water vessel?)

(Hunter's Moon be praised.) Scar said softly in awe, his eyes widened slightly, (You're a genius, Rave.)

Before Rave could come back with a quip, the other took off, his course set.

But the air shimmered beside them as it revealed the presence of one of the smaller Yautja transports. Scar halted in his tracks out of pure relief. He may have been fast, but right now every second counted.

Before the door had fully opened, Scar was inside, his eyes inspecting the Ooman still nestled in his arms. Not giving the Yautja's inside the transporter time to talk, Scar quickly ordered, (To the Ooman's Piper Maru vessel!)

Stepping inside after Scar's hasty entrance, Rave only had to see the faintest hints of disagreement on the Yautja's faces before he growled, (Do it NOW or I will personally skin your hides and send them in DISGRACE to your fathers!)

Their horror, quickly overtaking their initial shock at seeing the huge trophy Rave carried for Scar and the sight of the Ooman, sped the Yautja's to their tasks. Out of the corner of his eye, Scar saw Rave drop the skull onto the floor before bounding back outside into the wind and snow.

As the door began to shut, Scar shot him a questioning look.

(To Hunt.) Rave purred dangerously.

Then the door was closed and they were speeding towards the Piper Maru faster than any air vessel the Ooman's ever created.

-o-o-o-

Rave stood and watched the transport re-cloak and speed off, his own sensors having trouble tracking it due to the shielding. But he knew there was nothing he could have done to help. Other than find and kill the hard meat that got away. Rave grimaced at the cold, thankful for his thermal netting. Without wasting another second, he hefted a wicked dagger and bound off to find fresh tracks.

-o-o-o-

The mere seconds it took to get there, Scar watched the Ooman closely. Her blank face had taken a pained quality, her brows furrowed and her expression twisted even in her unconsciousness. Her breath was rasping and didn't agree with Scar at all.

The Yautja's there made sure not to provoke the bloody Yautja warrior in the midst of them. He looked imposing as he stood there silently, his shoulders and posture slightly hunched, as if daring anyone to try to kill the Ooman in his arms.

What kind of threw off the whole intimidating warrior picture was the low, concerned purring they could hear emanating from Scar's throat in a deep rumble. They didn't think Scar himself even realized he was making the noise. But no one was willing to risk blood or limb to tell him.

The moment the door opened, Scar was cloaked and stepping out towards the ramp of the ship. Figuring his steps would be mistaken as the Ooman female's own, Scar didn't take the time to choose less revealing footing.

He stood, looking around for another soft meat for ten seconds and found his impatience wearing thin. She was dying and she needed help NOW.

Scar was about ready to yell, run up that ramp, ANYTHING to find another Ooman to save her.

That's when he heard the voices.

"Hey. What's that over there?"

"Wha- ? Well, go check it out!"

Scar's mandibles clenched as his thoughts snapped out, 'About damn time.'

Kneeling, the Yautja carefully placed the Ooman on the ground. Reluctant, he retracted his arms from around her and attempted to step back.

That's when he discovered something that warmed his heart as well as broke it.

She was clinging to him. And from the change of her breathing, she was conscious.

(You have to let go.) Scar chirped softly, keeping an ear out for the sounds of approaching soft meats. But his eyes...

His eyes were all for her.

"No." She murmured.

Through all her pain, through all the bitter cold, right now he was the one warmth she could feel. He was the only GOOD thing she could feel. The rest... her body felt like it was being torn up from all the pain she felt. It hurt to talk. It hurt to move. It even hurt to breathe.

She didn't want to be alone. She didn't want...

"No... alone..." She muttered, her tone rising in urgency.

She could feel a darkness closing over her memory. She could feel it slipping.

(I cannot... You must let go.) Scar said, looking away for a moment as he looked up to see Oomans coming down the ramp. He expected them to shout at the sight of him at any moment. But that was before he realized he was still cloaked.

Carefully, he pried her arms from around him, wishing that she would just open her eyes. Just once.

He wanted to see her soft brown gaze once more. In case her eyes would never open again.

But he didn't have time.

Cupping the side of her face with his large, calloused palm, Scar murmured one word before he turned and walked quickly away. He had to walk quickly or else he knew he couldn't leave. Certain contact with Oomans required explicit permission. The ones that had been on the whaling station had been free game. THEY had been on the Hunting grounds. But the ship...

Scar didn't have permission and to break it would cost him dearly.

Though glancing back for a moment, he almost didn't care.

Lex felt a tear form at the side of her eye even as more warm bodies rushed towards her.

He had said her name.

Scar had said her name.

The black female didn't know how she knew it had been Scar. She hadn't even opened her eyes. But she knew it was him. She just KNEW.

She slipped quickly into the darkness of unconsciousness, Scar's name the last thing on her lips before she was gone.

**-o-BACK TO THE PRESENT-o-**

Lex cried as she woke, her white sheets strewn across the hard bed of the medical ward. The nurse had confined her to her quarters.

Despite the amazing speed of her recovery, the nurse decided she still needed rest. Physically as well as mentally.

But right now all that met Lex's eyes were shadows and darkness. It was night.

But the memories were streaming back as brightly and vividly as if she was living them in the moment.

No words could express her feelings. She could only cry.

Tears fought each other to race down her cheeks, ending in a spreading pool of wetness on the tangles sheets.

With a tortured, anguished sob, Lex threw herself back down onto the pillows, not caring as they too became drenched.

They had left her. She was alive.

But they had abandoned her.

She had never felt so... alone.


	14. Snake in the Grass

Disclaimer: I can't own AvP if the sky is blue. The sky is blue, therefore, I do not own AvP.

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**Before: The trio's escape is halted by none other than the hard meat Grid, who smacks Rave over the ledge before going straight for Lex. Ignoring the fact that she was carried in the arms of an extremely pissed and concerned Yautja, Grid feints a strike and catches Scar off guard as it slams Lex into the wall. Hard. Scar goes beserk but Grid ends up escaping, Rave making it back up to the ledge in time to get Scar's priorities straight. Priorities such as getting Lex and themselves out of the pyramid before it blows. They make it out barely in the nick of time. Of all people, Rave is the one who figures out to send Lex back to her Ooman ship in order to heal. A small Yautja transporter de-cloaks near them and Scar takes the opportunity instantly. Rave, after tossing the Queen skull trophy inside and ensuring no one questions Scar's decision, goes back out to finish his Hunt. As he is deposited near the ship, Scar nearly loses it as he waits for the Oomans to appear and take Lex to their Ooman healers. She gains consciousness just as a few are heading their way and she refuses to let go of the warm body holding her. Her eyes aren't open, but she knows who it is holding her. It breaks Scar, but he knows he has to let her go, and he asks the same of her. She cried then and she's crying now, in the present, as the memories pour vividly into her mind. They abandoned her…**

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'Was it something I did?' Lex wondered miserably, her tears long gone as she lay there, staring blankly up at the ceiling, 'Why did they leave?'

But then again, what exactly WAS one supposed to expect in this sort of situation. She was finding it hard to believe people just ran across aliens every other day. Lex had even been accepted into the Clan. Whatever that meant.

"Doesn't that MEAN anything?" Lex questioned the stillness around her, half-hoping for a reply.

But there was no one else in the room.

No one but her and her lonely thoughts.

"Whatever." Lex sighed bitterly, shifting to half hide her face with her arms, "I didn't even want to come with them anyways."

That had been the truth. At least, before it _had_ been the truth. But now...

Now she wasn't so sure.

The moon beams streaked across the room, half of it draping over the bed. If there had been anyone there at all, they would have seen the glimmer of tears through the barrier of her arms.

-o-o-o-

(STAND back!) Scar growled warningly in clicks, his presence growing as he squared his shoulders and took a threatening step forward.

The younger, Unblooded warriors stumbled back at the sudden challenge. The fully blooded warriors didn't back away, though they didn't step forward to face him either. The healer, Umtok, was the only one who seemed unfazed by his aggression.

(I SAID I don't NEED a Healer!) Scar repeated angrily, huffing as he stepped past Umtok in an attempt to get away.

But the older, taller, and thinner Yautja fell into step with Scar, trilling calmly, (I understand you are upset-)

(You understand! I DEMANDED to be let back onto the planet. I REQUESTED audience with the Old One commanding this Hunting ship! TWO of my people are still ON that planet. And still... STILL the transport brought me BACK to this Hunting ship! AND you CLAIM you understand?)

Scar had pivoted before he started shouting, and now he was mere millimeters of striking distance away from the Healer, his voice having dropping dangerously low near the end of his rant.

He knew Umtok was a healer. He knew, despite the fact that the ranks of Healers were considered equal to fully blooded warriors, that to seriously injure or kill one was a major offense without due cause. And he also knew the Umtok was the Old One's nephew.

But right now he didn't much care.

He had LEFT Lex on the planet. He had left her and she could be dead right now. Not to mention the hotheaded fool Rave was still down on the surface as well.

(So the warriors Vohnn and Rave still live?) The Healer Umtok inquired, not intimidated by Scar's foul mood. He had lived long enough to experience the return of many newly blooded warriors. One more angry one didn't make a difference.

Scar's eyes flashed with regret before he looked away, (Not Vohnn.)

A little confused, Umtok replied, (But you said there were two.) The Healer turned to cast his gaze among the other Yautjas, older warriors assigned to ensure those returning from the Hunt didn't stir up trouble, as he inquired, (I am correct in the assumption that only three were sent?)

(There is...) Scar's voice trailed off before he begun again, (There WAS a new clan member. She was Ooman and she participated in the Hunt.)

Instantaneously, mutters and exclamations of surprise and disbelief rose from the group around Scar.

(An Ooman? Impossible!)

(And a female at that?)

(How can tha-)

(-cannot be-)

Umtok demanded silence before he stated, (Such a thing is unheard of.)

(Not true.) Scar's amber eyes flashed, (It has happened before. With other cultures. Other races who have stumbled into the Hunt without intent.)

(Yes,) Umtok nodded, (OTHER races. OTHER cultures. But not this race. NOT this culture.)

(Why is it such a difficult thing to comprehend?) Scar muttered, muscled arms folding over his chest as he stared down, or rather stared up at the Healer.

(Because Oomans are weak.) One of the Yautjas responded.

(Yes,) Another agreed, (they exist to serve us.)

(They have not served us for centuries.) Scar growled back, throwing the fact that everyone knew but wouldn't admit, (They no longer submit to our will.)

(Because we do not allow them to acknowledge our presence.) Umtok answered with an arrogant air.

(I'm not stupid. I've seen how the Oomans have developed over the past millennia.)

(Their weapons have yet to match ours!) Another from the crowd crowed, his laughter short and harsh.

Scar whipped his head towards the direction of the comment, countering the statement, (Did you realize what you just said? They have YET to match ours. Meaning that they _will_ reach our level one day.)

(Are you trying to prove the worth of the Oomans?) Umtok questioned, his gaze narrowing.

Without thinking, Scar blurted out angrily, (I don't care about the rest of the Oomans! Just this one.)

Silence swept through the Yautjas like an invisible wave. Instead of cowering before it, Scar rose to meet their silence with his own defiance, (She has killed a hard meat with her bare hands. And not just one. She has killed more than an average Yautja could brag about during their own first Hunt. And not only that, but she assisted in the defeat of the Queen. Say what you like, do what you like, but _**I**_... I WILL stand beside her.)

Shock and gasps of utter awe escaped the expressions and mandibles of those present. To kill many hard meats in the first Hunt was suicidal. To look upon, much less assist in the killing of a Queen, was rarely heard of during an initiation. At least, not with any Yautja survivors. And here Scar was telling them an Ooman had done it. And the Ooman had been female.

It was a double blow. And it would take some time for the realization to sink in.

Knowing he had gotten his message across, Scar turned and started walking off.

He hadn't spoken to the Old One yet. But he grew impatient. He needed to go back.

Consulting with the Old One be damned. He seriously needed to go back RIGHT now. He didn't know how, but in some way he felt a small link between himself and the Ooman. Probably due to her use of his mask. Her use and survival of his mask was shocking enough, but this...?

Right now, he sensed something was terribly wrong. She wasn't dead, but he dreaded the worst.

(Stop.) The voice was commanding in its mere tone.

Without realizing it, Scar felt his feet stop of their own accord, his teachings trained to the very fiber of his muscles. When an Old One spoke, a Yautja listened. And that voice had been most certainly that of an Old One.

Turning around slowly, Scar saw that everyone else in the corridor had already assumed a rigid, bowing posture. With the exception of the Healer, who had gracefully lowered himself to his knees in utter respect.

There, halfway to the other end of the hall, stood an Old One adorned in his full attire. Numerous scars and wounds adorned his tough old hide, grizzled and whitened in age. A crimson, blood-soaked cloak draped from his shoulders was a stark contrast to his pale skin and made his appearance more bold. As if the vast amounts of trophies, detailed armor and Combistick didn't make his presence bold and intimidating enough already.

Quickly giving a bow of his own, Scar opened his mandibles to speak.

But the Old One spoke first, (I have been hearing things, young one. I have been hearing many things indeed. You need not tell me what has transpired, for I already know.) His clicking was roughened with age, though it held a deep resonance that could be described as... harminous. The others no longer bowed, but rather watched the Old One with respect and reverence.

He, like all the rest of the Old Ones, had earned his place by surviving more battles than any warrior could dream. And, like all the Old Ones, he had given up his name willingly. As he grew old and withered with age, his sight was taken from him, leaving him with milky white eyes. It has happened to many Old Ones, for their age is sometimes larger than the average Yautja knew how to count up to.

Scar fought with the urge to demand leave with his respect for the Old One. Scar opened his mandibles to speak, but this time nothing would come out. What was he to say?

The Old One's mandibles stretched into a knowing expression, his brow crinkling with thought, as he trilled, (Go, newly blooded warrior Scar.)

At Scar's wide-eyed gape, the Old One chuckled and continued, (Go. I grant you the leave you are so determined to receive. Though, I hope when you return, you shall not come alone.)

Recovering after a few moments, Scar nodded numbly, his voice set on automatic as he replied, (Of course, Old One.)

About to run off, Scar quickly turned and bowed once more, (Thank you, Old One.) Then he was off, his footsteps echoing in the armored hallways.

Umtok tried his best to stifle a look of utter horror and shock as he turned to face the Old One, (But why...?)

(Really Umtok,) The Old One admonished, though he was speaking to the rest as well, (Change is not always such a horrible thing.)

-o-o-o-

(Fuckin' piece of SHIT.) Rave growled, (WHERE are you?)

Whose brilliant idea had it been to go off and track the hard meat? Oh yea, Rave's. By the Hunter's Moon, he shouldn't have made this foolish decision. As much as he wanted revenge for himself as well as for what was done to the Ooman, Rave should've known better than to nominate himself for tracking it down.

He couldn't track any better than a youngling much less try to track a single hard meat through this blizzard. And it didn't help any that the blizzard had only grown stronger during the past hour.

With any luck, maybe the hard meat was already dead.

Then again, Rave didn't trust luck so much.

(I can't track worth shit.) Rave grumbled under his breath, (The weather's crappy. My feet are about to fall off. These boots are worthless. That hard meat needs to die. Hell, the creator of these boots need to die.) Well on into his rant by now, Rave threw back his head and shouted, (And WHOEVER invented snow NEEDS TO DIE!)

(You idiot. No one INVENTED snow.) Scar scoffed, standing in the middle of a rectangular glow.

Wait-no. Not a rectangular glow. Rather, it was a doorway to the camouflaged transport.

(I don't care.) Rave stomped past him into the transporter's heated interior, (And what took you so long anyway?)

(The Yautjas flying the previous transport refused to let me back on the surface.) Scar growled.

(They were from Umtok's part of the Clan,) A young, unblooded warrior said, shaking her head, (they're all pretty worthless, if you ask me.)

Rave grinned, jerking his thumb towards the ebony-skinned teen, (Hey, I like this kid.)

Ruffled, the unblooded warrior retorted, (I'm NO kid.)

(You are if I say you are.) Rave shrugged, un-intimidated by the little Yautja.

(What's your name?) Scar inquired, noting with appreciation that the kid hadn't wasted time in starting the transport off once more.

(Jet. Named from the color of my skin.)

(No kidding.) Rave commented, (I thought black skin was a rare birth defect.)

Scar rolled his eyes at Rave's attempt at tact. Actually, WHEN exactly did Rave ever use tact? Never. So this was just another of Rave's blunt questioning.

(Do you like insulting people or is that just another of your charming qualities.) Jet inquired, batting her lashes for effect before ruining it by scoffing. Loudly.

Rave barked out in laughter, giving Jet a friendly punch on the shoulder. Of course, said friendly punch sent the girl stumbling sideways a step or two and a pounding bruise, but it was all made with good intent, (Where were you when Scar and I needed a transport earlier?)

(Finishing detention for his royalty, Healer Umtok,) Jet rolled her eyes at that, continuing, (for accidentally spilling all the contents of my lunch tray onto his robe. Did I mention I hate the guy?)

Rave only grinned wider, grabbing the smaller more nimble Yautja into a gigantic bear hug as he stated, (Did I say like? I meant I love this kid.)

After freeing herself from his suffocating embrace and shooting an accusing glance at Scar for not helping her, Jet noted the obvious, (I take it you don't like Umtok.)

(Who does?) Scar muttered, remembering vividly just how easily he could've choked the thin Healer. Though, despite his moody exterior, Scar was actually surprised. The big Yautja didn't take a liking to much people. And from the few seconds Rave had known the kid, it was apparent these two could get along well.

(There's a ship.) Jet alerted them, forcing all gazes towards the sensor screen, (Is this the one?)

Scar frowned, then shook his head, (No. That's not the Piper Maru.)

Rave growled one word, (SHIT.)

-o-o-o-

Someone was knocking on the door.

Lex toyed with the idea of feigning sleep, but decided not to as she croaked, "Whaaat?"

"Are you decent, Ms. Woods?" An unfamiliar, male voice inquired.

From his tone, Lex realized it was probably one of the men wishing to 'interrogate' her. Damn. Maybe she should've pretended she was asleep.

Well, it was too late now.

"Yeah," Came her unfortunate answer, as she levered herself up to a sitting position on the bed.

Not wasting a second, the man stepped through and the first thing that she noted his arrogant air and way of walking. His hair was slicked back and his large nose held up high, like a Toucan imitating an aristocrat. His blue eyes did little to veil its cold exterior, though he did manage to adorn his body with an expensive looking business suit.

Could he be worried about Weyland's death? Yeah right. More like he couldn't wait to pry the corporation from Dr. Weyland's cold, dead grasp.

Then the wave of cologne hit her, making her senses reel. How much did the guy use? A whole bottle? Or two?

"I apologize for the string of unfortunate events you were put through." The man said in his stiff, nasally voice. Of course, Lex would be a naïve fool to believe he meant anything he had just said.

"Unless you were the cause of it," Lex said bitterly, folding her arms across her chest, "which I highly doubt, then you have nothing to apologize for."

'Except for almost making me hurl with the unreasonable amount of cologne you put on.' Her thoughts made her eyes narrow.

There was a brief pause, his cold eyes calculating her own brown ones, when he stepped forward, "Nevertheless, I offer my apologies."

"Thanks," Lex started a smile that was as fake as his, before she dropped it and continued harshly, "but NO thanks."

The tip of his forced smile twitched ever-so-slightly at her abrupt rudeness. No doubt he never received such impudence before. He must've always gotten his way before then. Either that or he must've had a really inflated ego. Or maybe both.

"Well," Lex stated, starting to push herself up from the bed, "as interesting as this conversation was, I think I've had about enough."

In two quick strides, the man was leaning over her, his hands gripping the edge of the bed with whitened knuckles. That ghost of a fake smile barely clung to his thin lips as he said in a barely controlled voice, "I have been waiting... PATIENTLY... for four whole days now, Ms. WOODS. I need to know what has happened down in those tunnels and YOU can tell me. I think I have been patient enough. It is time for you to give me a detailed description of what happened in that unfortunate 'tunnel accident' as they call it."

Startled at his sudden action, and almost at a loss of words as he leaned close, his own body blocking her escape, Lex's eyes narrowed. She had been trapped in the dark for days with nothing but her and the help of the Yautja's to keep herself from dying. She had faced down the hard meat's Queen, even standing against a horde of Aliens. Why would she fear this snake of a man?

"I SAID I've HAD enough of this conversation," Lex repeated, her jaw clenched and voice strained.

Just how much trouble would she be in if she punched loose one or two of his teeth? Ah hell, why not all of them while she's at it? It's not like he needed them for smiling or anything. Who knows, he might even learn a little humility after having to chew with just his gums for a couple days.

The snide man was quivering now. She could read in his eyes just how mad he was. Slamming the bed with a clenched fist, he roared, "_I_ decide when you've had enough, Ms. Woods!"

Lex bared her teeth, about to push herself up and shove past him to the door, "WHO do you think you-"

But the man gripped her upper arm painfully as he forced her to remain on the bed, earning a crazed glare from the black woman. He had a feeling he was cornering a vicious leopard, and cats fight back when cornered. No matter, he knew he could handle her well enough.

"I am MR. Winston to you, and I am the inheritor of Dr. Weyland's corporation. If you do NOT inform me of what happened back at the whaling station, I JUST may have to inform the proper authorities that Dr. Weyland's accident was no accident at all. But the misguided scheming of a disgruntled black woman who has been against his company's intentions from the start." Winston was sneering, his iron grip twisting painfully as he glared at her.

"And I just may have to break your nose if you don't get your hands off me and get outta my face right now." Lex growled. The pain on her arm was bad.

But she's felt worse.

"Oh I am sure that will make you look REAL good once I get my report out to the proper autho-" He started to sneer once more.

But Lex had enough.

Hand balled into a fist, Lex swung, meaning to knock some sense into him. What she got instead was the man flying all the way across the room and slamming against the far wall.

Grimacing at reawakened pains as she stood, Lex let the soothing satisfaction of hitting Winston flow over her as she stepped to lean over the downed man.

"What makes you think I give a fuck what the authorities think?" Lex snarled, a pleased grin on her face as she saw the bruise forming at the man's suddenly swollen cheek.

The man coughed something out onto his hands. Lex noted with grim satisfaction that the small bloodied lumps were teeth.

Hmm, only three. Maybe she should've hit harder.

Glaring up at her, Winston tossed the teeth aside, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.

For a second, Lex's eyes flickered over to where the teeth had flown. For a second, she actually caught herself considering keeping them as souvenirs. Wait... souvenirs wasn't the right word.

Trophies.

Startled at her train of thought, Lex clamped down on the urge, knowing full well that the Winston guy was not worthy to take trophies from.

Blinking, Lex forced herself to watch the man as he carefully pushed himself up. She couldn't help but grin slightly as a grimace of pain slipped through his mask of calm and control.

"This isn't over, Ms. Woods." He spat her name like it was something vile.

As he departed, rather hastily if you focused close enough, Lex stated aloud, "Yeah, it was nice meeting you too, Mr. Winston."

Sighing as the door finally shut, Lex flexed her arm painfully, swearing she could see his hand print in the shape of a bruise. He was stronger than he looked, apparently.

'This is gonna be a long ride.' Lex realized with a frown.


	15. Refuse?

Disclaimer: The day I own AvP is the day I start hating Yautjas. Which... is never. So there you have it.

A/N: Yupp, Lex just gets more and more of Scar's sunshiney personality every day.

Also, I'd like to give a huge amount of gratitude towards Draguna, who has given me so much Yautja information that I have no clue how I'd written this story so far without. Thank you Draguna. And thank you reviewers, whom inspire me to write even more.

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**Before: Lex tries to come to terms with her "abandonment". In the meantime, Scar is losing his patience with Healer Umtok and all those that prevent him from leaving the ship and returning to the surface. Before he can seriously consider killing Umtok, the Old One makes his entrance and gives Scar the permission needed. Rave is ranting about how many things need to die when Scar finds him, the bigger Yautja sourly pissed due to the weather and his inability to track the hard meat Grid. A younger Yautja female, Jet, agrees with Scar and Rave that Umtok's an ass as she flies them over to the ship. The only problem is that Piper Maru is not there, rather another ship is in its place. Meanwhile, Lex encounters a whole other kind of ugly in Weyland's corporation's vile inheritor, Mr. Winston. He tries to interrogate her by force, only to recieve his just desserts by a pissed Lex. **

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(What do you MEAN it's not there!) Scar frowns, his clenched fist hovering inches above the control panel.

(I mean that one ship- the Piper Maru or whatever, is NOT there. This Ooman vessel is different.) Jet, wary of her suddenly enraged passenger, kept one eye on Scar even as the other scanned the sensors, (It's... smaller.)

(This... can't be right.) Rave frowned, his tone close to a growl as he crossed his arms, (The problem is obvious.)

(Obvious?) Scar raised a questioning brow.

(Yeah, obvious?) Jet agreed as she shot a disbelieving look Rave's way, (Do you mind sharing with the rest of us just WHAT is so obvious?)

(Obviously...) Rave glared at the controls, (the sensors are wrong.)

There was an actual, tangible pause that hung in the air.

The next moment Scar had Rave in a head lock, his mandibles clicking furiously as he stated, (I am going to KILL you.)

Baring his mandibles at challenge beneath Scar's words, Rave tossed the smaller Yautja over his shoulder, growling, (I'd like to see you try!)

Flipping in the air even as the bigger Yautja tossed him, Scar landed nimbly on his feet before flashing a grin and charging towards Rave.

As the two tackled each other across the room, Jet narrowed her eyes, snapping, (HEY. Just watch where you two are throwing eacho-)

Before she could even finish, Rave accidentally knocked backwards into her, Scar having squarely landed a kick on the bigger Yautja's stomach. Sprawling over the controls, Jet got the breath knocked out of her as the edge hit a solid blow across her midsection. A second later she was on the floor, her eyes squinted.

Rave spun on his heels, shooting an 'Oh, crap' look towards Scar. Bending towards the downed Yautja female, Rave extended a large hand, (Are you all right?)

He thought her eyes were squinted in pain.

Oh man. He couldn't have been more wrong.

His extended hand was knocked out of the way as a small bundle of lithe and graceful muscle rammed into him.

In the next, unbelievable and breathless second, Rave found himself on his back against the cold mesh floor, the slimmer and younger female Yautja straddling his waist.

The first thing that ran across Rave's mind also shot blindly out of his mouth, (Are you... coming on to me?)

(Hunter's Moon, NO.) Jet retorted instantly with a twisted frown.

Scar had been initially surprised at the move, but at the sight of the two of them and the look on their faces, he could barely hold back the laughter rising up inside.

Snarling and drawing her face closer, Jet spoke before Rave could repeat his question, (Get your SHIT together or else prepare to get your ASS kicked outta my ship!)

That said she hastily sprung back off him before he could get any more ideas, stalking off towards the controls to see if anything had been broken or messed with. Scar made sure he gave her a wide berth as he headed towards the fallen, and still shocked, greenish-brown Yautja.

Chuckling, Scar gave Rave a hand up, his brow ridge raised in disbelief as he asked incredulously, (Is she coming ON to you? What were you thinking?)

(What?) Rave shrugged, brushing himself off, (I thought she was.)

(But, seriously Rave. Coming on to you?) Scar snorted, giving Rave a look.

(What?) Rave asked, his tone demanding as Scar continued to give him a look, (WHAT?)

Sighing in annoyance, Scar shook his head once, (Nothing.)

Being the stubborn and pig-headed Yautja that he was, Rave pressed the issue simply because Scar refused to answer, (WHAT, Scar? WHAT is it?)

Half-snorting and half-laughing, Scar gave the bigger Yautja a look and said simply, (I remember what happened before we disembarked from the home world.)

(Oh, THAT?) Rave said dismissively with a wave of his large hand, (She was an aggressive female. And willing. What was I to do?)

(You ALMOST mated with a female, Rave. And you weren't even Blooded yet!)

(Your point?) Rave asked begrudgingly, scratching his locks, (If I remember right, YOU were the one that stopped me.)

(I'm just warning you,) Scar raised a brow ridge at Rave, shaking his head as he walked past him, (you'd better stop thinking with your gonads before you have them chopped off. I know if Umtok had his way you, you would already be unable to mate and I... I would be in the deepest darkest Kainde Amedha pit he could find.)

(All the more honor and trophies for you to gain. Umtok doesn't scare me.) Rave snorted, arms crossed as he turned to follow Scar with his sage eyes, (I find it hard to believe he had gone on a Hunt at all much less passed five and "found" his calling in the Healer ways.)

Scar chuckled in agreement and stood next to Jet, (As long as he doesn't claim the title of 'Honored' warrior...)

(Hah! No one would believe it.) Jet spat, her fingers working furiously over the controls, (I feel almost dishonored that he's even in the same Clan as ours.)

The two males grunted in agreement with that. Jet may have been young, and she may have been runt in stature compared to the average female, but she was a good judge of character. They knew, as well as all others who had a brain in their head, that Umtok was a breath away from being a Bad Blood. Unlike the others, Rave wished that he'd just be one sooner so that the big Yautja could kill him.

Before Scar had to conceal any urge to strangle something, Jet declared, (I found it!)

(Where?) Scar demanded, his tone as serious as his sudden change of mood.

Rave immediately shut up, wanting to know what had happened to their newest member.

Jet's form was suddenly stock-still as she absorbed the readings from the sensors.

Impatient, Scar shoved past her, which earned him a snarl, and stood in front of the console just as a holo-image projected itself.

There was the Piper Maru, all outlined in green. But none of the Yautja on the transport were focusing on any of the green details. Rather, their eyes were drawn to the red flashing across the image and throughout the Ooman's ship.

(How did this...?) Jet asked numbly.

Seeing as how Scar had suddenly lost his voice, Rave spoke the horror they all realized, (Something's attacking the ship.)

-o-o-o-

The sirens were blaring. The whole hallway was flashing in bursts of red light.

Lex found herself crouching near the foot of her bed, muscles tensed and eyes focused on her door. She had woken the moment something strange had tugged at her senses. She had been alert and wary even before the alarm was triggered.

The only question was: What else was on the ship?

Her door slammed open and she prepared to leap. Only to barely stop herself as she recognized the trembling figure that stood in front of her. He noticed the feral look in her eye and instantly fell into a frozen, fearful state. Not that he wasn't already frightened before he decided to barge into her room.

"Mr. Winston." Lex greeted coldly, snapping him out of his stupor enough to shut the door behind him.

But her eyes were drawn to what he held in his arms. Eyes flashing, Lex strode towards him and yanked the huge talon from his hands, "WHERE did you get this?"

Her memory flared with the intense vision of the Queen hovering over her. She could feel the icy heat of the hard meat's talon buried deep into her shoulder. The cold of death drawing near. The surprise/relief at the appearance of Scar.

Shaking her head and returning back to the present, Lex shook the two foot talon as she demanded, "WHERE?"

Attempting to shrug her off and retain a small amount of dignity, Mr. Winston replied, "I-I..."

But words, especially calm ones, were something the frightened man couldn't manage at the moment.

"Took it from me while I was unconscious?" Lex snarled, shoving the pathetic man from her, "Why do you bring it to me now? What do you want?"

Mr. Winston fumbled with his wrinkled suit, a shaky hand running through his messy hair. He knew he had to speak now or Lex may just kill him.

Maybe.

He looked up into her brown eyes.

All right. Definately. She would definately kill him if he didn't speak up now.

The man forced his vocal chords to work, clearing his throat loudly.

"Y-you must know..." Winston darted his eyes back to the door, before taking a deep breath in order to continue in a whisper, "what... what those THINGS are."

Lex blinked. Was he talking about the hard meats? Or maybe even the Yautja?

She didn't have to wait long for an answer.

A raptor-like cry erupted from the interior of the ship, audible even through the thick steel-enforced walls. Lex's eyes widened even as she fixed her gaze on the cowering man before her.

"Those... those THINGS... they-they mur-murdered all the guards." Winston stuttered, not noticing Lex's rolling of her eyes as she realized why he was here.

"Do you honestly believe I can help you?" Lex inquired with a frown.

"I know you-you MUST have fought those things before." Winston said, his tone rising with his growing alarm as he realized what she may be getting at, "Those wounds that you had wer-"

"Wait," Lex interrupted, "let me rephrase that: Do you honestly believe I WILL help you?"

Mr. Winston's eyes widened to the size of grapefruits at that, his jaw trembling slightly. But he was a dealing man and he always sought out a bargaining situation where there never was one before.

He was always good at what he did. He manipulated people and he was proud of it. But then again, he never had to bargain when the odds and the continuation of his own life was against his favor.

"Name a price-ANY price!" He shouted, practically on his knees. He didn't know how to fend for himself. At least, not physically. That's what his hired guards were for. But they never stood a chance against those shadowed beasts that lurked in the halls.

They went down without much of a fight. Mr. Winston could truthfully say he had never been that close to that much blood before in his life. But he thought... No, he KNEW that Lex had encountered those things before and survived.

Lex took a moment to gaze at the man before her. Did an overwhelming flood of pity come over her? Not really.

Did she feel any pity at all? Possibly.

Did she have to help him...?

Lex thought about all the things this man was. Thought about all the deeds he must have done in his life. All the people he manipulated. All the lives he ruined for his own sake.

She thought especially hard about how he stole the talon, something she felt strongly about for some reason, and how he probably would have screwed her over once they reached wherever the Maru was headed.

The realizations dampened her pity immensely and her look turned sour, "There's nothing you can offer that I could possibly want."

She would never forget the look on his face as she opened the door, intending to stride back out into the dangerous darkness of the hallway. Turning away from the man, if he could actually be called one, Lex said harshly, "I never want to see you again."

The door closed with a certain finality and Winston just stood there.

He was fearful, but he was also reeling in anger. How dare she just refuse him like that! No one refused Winston. He had money, power, and good looks. EVERYTHING the sniveling woman should have admired him for. And she had refused.

"I could have given you the WORLD!" Mr. Winston shouted at the door. But instead, she went out there. The man scoffed, "I hope she dies."

Then, quite suddenly, the door dented as something hit it with tremendous force. The hallway just outside his door erupted in vicious cries.

Mr. Winston could think of nothing to do but cower behind the bed and hope to high heavens that nothing would barge in through it.

-o-o-o-

(Are you sure you can go down there?) Jet inquired seriously, her black eyes fastened on Scar's. Instinctively, she forced her attention to his body heat with her infrared vision. If he lied to her, she could tell.

(Try and stop us.) Rave growled. He may like this Yautja, but if she got in their way...

Sensing the seriousness in the situation, and not wishing for a fight, Jet instantly backed off even as she explained, (Hey, I didn't say I was going to. I was only wondering if you had the Arbitrator's permission.)

(I have it.) Scar said shortly.

The Old One had allowed him to return to the surface and retrieve those of their Clan. Lex was now one of them.

And he'd be damned if he was going to leave her again.

(Just open the door before I tear it off.) Scar growled.

(But we haven't landed ye-) Jet started to say.

(OPEN IT!) Scar roared, whipping his head around to face her.

Without hesitation, Jet complied.

Instantly, cold wind and bits of snow whipped into the transport's interior. The yellowish-brownish Yautja didn't even blink.

The drop to the Piper Maru was meters high. But Scar didn't even blink as he simply stepped off, the air rushing past his ears. The sight of the ship expanded rapidly as he approached in his plummet, strong heat signatures and fading heat signatures present all across the deck. He spotted lifeboats with clustered survivors floating along the ocean's cold surface, the ice broken up by the big ship's hull.

Somehow, Scar knew she wasn't on any of those air-filled rafts and ignored them.

Spotting a soft meat running across the deck below him, Scar instantly tracked behind it to the kainde amedha that was chasing the Ooman. With subtle shifts, Scar managed to align his fall with the position the hard meat would be within a couple seconds.

An instance later, with a sickening crunch, Scar landed squarely on the kainde amedha's skull. He heard a sound above him and took a step to the side. A breath later Rave landed in the same spot, a frown on his face as he said, (How did they get loose?)

(I REALLY don't care right now.) Scar growled, barely glancing in Rave's direction before he stalked forward.

Acknowledging the other's anger, Rave fell into Scar's pace, his attention spanning the chaos around them. During the Hunt, they had agreed that Rave would be leader. He was perfect for the role. All brawn, bravery, and power. All he lacked was tact and skills in planning ahead. The three young warriors had agreed the bigger Yautja would lead them, but at the same time they knew who the real brains of the operation was.

Rave wasn't going to dispute it.

However, had it been another Yautja, Rave wouldn't have hesitated in knocking the fool's lights out.

Unless it was an Honored warrior or above, of course. Like an Arbitrator and especially not an Elder or a female.

Scar knew and accepted their sort of friendship. They had an understanding. They don't mess with each other when one was pissed and they certainly didn't let another Yautja mess with either of them. Scar was okay with allowing Rave to have the reigns every once in a while. But when matters as crucial as the safety of a Clan member, one of another species that Scar himself had initiated... when matters as personal as such arises, Scar couldn't imagine anyone leading the pursuit but himself.

They were across the deck and striding inside the Piper Maru's interior in no time, dispatching whatever lay in their way. Of course, they were mindful of the code and managed to refrain from attacking unarmed soft meats. At least, not until said Ooman showed aggression towards them.

Rave was in the process of tossing one carelessly over his shoulder when a flash of glossy black caught his eye down a side corridor. Patterns of grid-like yellow ooze decorated the hard meats skull.

A deep growl emanated from the bigger Yautja's chest. His anger flared.

This kainde amedha had nearly killed him in the beginning of the Hunt. Before the pyramid had exploded it attempted to take Lex's life while she lay helpless and unconscious.

Rave's fist clenched.

It would make a well-earned trophy.

(I'm going after it.) Rave growled.

Scar had just turned his head to where Rave had been standing when he realized the greenish-brown Yautja was no longer there. Scar caught sight of Rave disappearing around a corner. He trilled thoughtfully to himself. But this was Rave's battle. He couldn't steal his kill.

Continuing on his rampage, Scar tore through room after bloody room.

Where could the Ooman be?

Was she already dead?

But no, she couldn't be dead. Scar would've felt it... would've known... somehow.

That's when he encountered traces of Lex's scent. Increasing his pace, Scar was at a dead sprint before he skidded to a stop.

Her faint scent trail ended here. But this couldn't be right. All that lay here was blood. Drying blood and a body...

The body was slim like Lex's form. Her scent was here.

But it couldn't be right.

The body was dead.

Scar stared at it, his brow ridge furrowed. He was frozen in disbelief.

He had been too late!

In pre-anguish and anger, Scar howled, feeling no pain as he rammed his fist through the thick steel forged walls. It yielded beneath the force of his strike, but it did not lighten the sudden weight over the Yautja's heart.

Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel such pain? Pain was inflicted by weapons and objects. Or pain from horrible transgressions upon one's honor. But this... this was done by neither. So why...?

Scar stilled.

Had he been dreaming?

But the sound came once more. This time it was louder. More audible.

It was the Ooman. And she was shouting his name.

"ScaaaAAARRR!"

Scar whipped his head up, his dreadlocks lashing through the air. He was sprinting before he had even realized he had moved. Her tone had been desperate.

She needed help.

How could Scar refuse?


	16. Never Again

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, not mine, blah blah blah, no sue, okay?

A/N: Yea, the group that's in the story the Weyland corporation. Ambitious little buggers, aren't they?

I appreciate all the feedback guys! I especially like when you guys point out parts that you liked and whatnot. -grins-

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**Before****: As they tracked the ship, Scar and Rave managed to get into a little fight, sparked by Scar's anger and worry and Rave's incredible nack for saying the wrong things at the wrong time. As further evidence of that fact, Jet gets reined into the fight when Rave accidentally bumps into her, and he mistakes her aggressive advances for a more intimate manner than she intended. Scar manages not to laugh his head off at the entire situation, but only barely. When Jet declares that they've found the Piper Maru, Scar is serious within a heartbeat, all but throwing Jet out of the way when she stands stock-still at what the readings show her. The huge Ooman ship (huge by Ooman standards) was under attack. Meanwhile, Lex sensed the attack before the ship's alarms were activated. She is startled when Mr. Winston barges into her room, frightened and with the Queen's claw in hand. She instantly takes the claw out of his hands, angry and suspicious of his intentions. He pleads for her help, attempting to retain as much dignity as possibly, but doesn't manage to impress the black woman. Disgusted with the selfish, manipulative man before her, Lex leaves Winston to his own devices as she steps out, declaring that she never wanted to see him again. Back on the Yautja transport, Scar is too impatient for Jet to land their vehicle and demands the doors be opened before he rips them off. Jet voiced her concerns at first but didn't dare to hesitate to open the doors when he roared angrily at her. Scar and Rave make the dozen meter drop without flinching, Scar even managing to kill a hard meat with his bone-crushing landing. Once they make their way inside the bloodied Maru's interior, they practically plough through all that stand in their way. Rave catches sight of Grid and growls his intent at Scar before rushing off in pursuit. Scar picks up Lex's scent and it leads him to a dead body. Unbelieving, Scar howls his denial throughout the ship. Apparently Lex hears him, because Scar hears her respond. She shouts his name, her tone filled with desperation. Scar shoots off before he even realizes he's running.**

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The body wasn't hers.

It wasn't hers.

That was the thought that ran through Scar's mind even as he forced his legs to put him on a faster pace. It must've been someone who she had been in close contact with recently. Scar should've noticed the smell was faint. But it was all too distracting. The blood everywhere. The thought that she might be dead.

And she still might get killed if Scar didn't go faster.

He skidded to a stop at an intersection. There were three paths he could take.

Left. Right. Or forward.

His head whipping to look and scent at each one, Scar could only growl in impatience and irritation.

There were too many smells!

He was so close but the newly spilled blood and the reek of the kainde amedha was more recent and layered itself above all other smells. Scar clenched and unclenched his fist as he stood there, knowing he was wasting precious time as he tried frantically to decide which way to go.

He neede-

"You BASTARD!"

It was the Ooman's voice. Lex's voice. Her tone had been woven with rage, a sliver of fear, and a small dose of disbelief.

Scar growled and took off down the left corridor.

(If someone is hurting you...) He clicked angrily under his breath.

-o-o-o-

"You bastard..." Lex repeated breathlessly, her eyes narrowed to slits as she struggled to breathe.

She had fallen into a rough fight with the hard meats the moment she had stepped out of the door. There had been two of them, startled and eager to kill as she suddenly appeared.

She had fought them fiercely, using the Queen's talon as a weapon. Surprisingly, the talon had a strange effect on them. The moment she had held it out threateningly, the two hard meats had stilled, almost frozen in place. They snapped out of their shock the moment she swiped forward. But throughout the battle, they continuously avoided touching or getting touched by the dead Queen's talon. Almost as if they feared or revered it too much to have it touch them. This was how Lex managed to corner them and have the large metal netting fall over them. Trapped as they were, Lex managed to make quick work of them, but not before the last one standing tumbled forward against her.

This resulted in her being vulnerably pinned, her back pressed against the wall as her legs were twisted in an uncomfortable position under the bulk of the kainde amedha's dead body. Her hands were ensnared within the net, having been clutching its hardened skull as it had tried the stab her through with its inner jaws. This wouldn't have been as much of a problem if her arms hadn't been pinned as well.

The chords were metal cable and she dropped the talon beside her to stave off the dying hard meat's last attack.

To make matters worse, Mr. Winston had found her.

The same, conniving little man that now stood before her, brandishing the Queen's talon in his pale hands.

She only hoped Scar had heard her earlier calls for help. She had certainly heard him.

"It's NOT yours to take." Lex spat, shifting her shoulders in her twentieth attempt to free herself. Still, the body wouldn't budge.

Worriedly, she noticed she was starting to loose feeling in her legs.

"I do not think you are in a position to have any say." Mr. Winston chuckled, indicating the dead hard meat with a wave of his hand, "I must say, I was impressed to see you holding your own against these... monsters... but I doubt you would have done so well without this little trinket."

"Give it back or face the consequences of breaking the Code." Lex snarled.

"Code?" Winston raised a skeptical eyebrow, "What code?"

Lex found that she was as flabbergasted as he was. She had no clue where the idea of the Code have even come from, but she knew it all the same and repeated it slowly to the man, "...The... the Code that-uh, forbids... the taking of another's trophy..."

Mr. Winston gave her a look which clearly said he thought her insane as he replied, "You must have received a larger blow to your head than I thought."

Lex kept a glare aimed at him as she struggled against the hard skull pressed against her rib cage, making it very hard to breathe.

"Once I get out ..." Lex growled, twisting her shoulders jerkily as she attempted to free her arms.

"Oh no..." Mr. Winston frowned as he thought aloud, "that would not do at all. No, that option will just have to be taken away."

He advanced immediately, his grip on the claw tightening.

Lex blanched the moment she realized his intentions. But she quickly replaced the look of surprise with one of anger, "You think you can kill me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." He replied with a satisfied, malicious curve to his lips.

"Have you ever killed before?" Lex demanded, her gaze scrutinizing.

Stopping half a foot from her, Winston declared nonchalantly, "It shouldn't be too hard."

As he kneeled beside her, Lex's lip twitched in rage, "Think you're a big tough guy, don't you? Unable to kill a woman unless she's all trussed up for you? Are you afraid, Mr. Winston? What are you afraid of? You thi-"

Lex interrupted her rant to cry out in pain, her body jerking of its own accord as the icy fire jolted through her senses.

-o-o-o-

Scar heard the scream.

He was close now, but the shout had come from the other corridor.

Cursing, he backtracked and continued at a fast sprint.

He could feel his muscles trembling. But it wasn't from exertion or pain.

He was trembling with rage.

Someone was hurting the Ooman. He didn't care who it was.

That someone was going to die.

-o-o-o-

He STABBED her!

The damn coward stabbed her!

Lex's mind reeled from intense pain. She barely registered that Winston had stabbed at the exact spot on her shoulder that the Queen had, reopening the healing wound.

A stream of obscenities poured out of Lex's mouth as she forcefully willed herself from the darkness and pain.

When the world was not so tilted and spinning, Lex turned her focus back on the grinning man beside her.

"Hurt did it?" Mr. Winston looked like he was enjoying her pain, his voice arrogant as he stated, "You should have worked with me from the beginning, Ms. Woods. You should have just went along as planned. Are you regretting your decision now? Do you still doubt I wouldn't hesitate to kill you?"

Clenching her teeth to get the pain under control, Lex spat on his face, her grin fierce as she declared, "You stab like the pathetic weakling you are."

Lex's grin grew as his face turned a livid purple, his knuckles white as he gripped the talon harder in his growing anger. His other hand wiped her spittle from his face with disgust, his earlier smirk all but gone from his twisted expression.

"I barely felt that," Lex continued, shifting her gaze to her shoulder as she scrutinized the wound she recieved, "I mean, just look at it. You barely pierced the surface. I wouldn't doubt if the talon didn't even go more than a couple centim-"

"SHUT UP!" Mr. Winston demanded, worked up from her statements. The man couldn't believe she would talk to him like that. Truthfully, he knew his anger stemmed from the fact that her words struck home. Mr. Winston didn't fancy himself a very strong man, at least not physically. But that didn't mean he liked it when the fact was rubbed in his face.

Mr. Winston was so mad he didn't even notice her gaze flicker towards something coming up behind him. He said viciously, "The next strike will be fatal. I swear you will never live to see another sunrise!"

The man couldn't believe it when, in the next instant, he found himself dangling in the air.

The claw was torn roughly from his grasp right before Mr. Winston was hurled with unforgiving force against the far wall. He crumpled into a groaning mass the moment he touched the floor.

Scar's chest was heaving, one hand gripping the talon as the other flexed, trying to get his anger-filled tremors under control.

No one... NO ONE messed with Lex. NO ONE!

Growling, Scar started to advance on the crumpled form that was Winston.

But a softly spoken voice pierced the enraged cloud of red that shrouded his thoughts.

"Scar."

It was her voice. The Ooman's voice.

Lex's voice...

How could he ignore the call that tugged at him deep in his very bones?

He paused in his steps, his muscles tense as the rage seeped slowly from his mind, freeing him slightly from its unrelenting hold.

-o-o-o-

Rave cursed loudly as he whipped his head left and right, his dreadlocks lashing angrily through the air with his snappy movements.

Had he lost track of the kainde amedha? AGAIN?

-o-o-o-

Lex had never felt so relieved to see him. Well... besides when she had thought he was dead earlier and... yeah...

His dreadlocks swung loosely as he turned his head, his movements slow and measured, to look at her.

After a few breaths of silence, he inquired with a soft, almost hesitantly drawn up, trill.

Speechless from his sudden appearance, Lex drank in the sight of him for a moment. His tense stance, the worried tilt of his head...

The obvious anger emanating from his very core...

Hoping fervently the anger wasn't directed at her, Lex replied sheepishly, "I'm just... a little, uh, a little stuck."

Scar felt a huge wave of relief roll across him, feeling his tense muscles relax slowly as he felt a clicking chuckle arise from between his mandibles. He just couldn't stop staring at her. And it was not just so his mask could scan for more fatal injuries. He was just...

He was so glad she wasn't dead.

As much as he wanted to render the male Ooman piece by agonizing piece, Scar had control of his mind enough to realize it was safer to free Lex first. Who knows when something could come out and attack in this battle zone.

(Let me hel-) Scar started to say.

But almost as if the mere thought had derived it, a hard meat slammed into the Yautja's muscled form. Flying across the room, Scar could hear Lex shout his name as he skidded across the floor, the hard meat slashing at him.

The talon flew out of his grasp and Scar raised his forearms to protect his vitals and his neck from the kainde amedha's onslaught.

"Scar!" Lex shouted again as she struggled to free herself, another kainde amedha Drone appearing from a side passage.

It was advancing, slowly, sure of its victory as it discovered its prey couldn't move.

"Shit!" Lex cursed, her struggles renewing in vigor as the hard meat snarled and continued its slow stalk towards her.

Catching sight of the Ooman's predicament, Scar cursed as well. He had to get up and help her.

Slugging the hard meat square in its jaw, Scar took an instant to recognize the yellow pattern across its chitin armor.

It was Grid.

And if Grid was here, then Rave shouldn't be too far behind.

Twisting as the hard meat attempted to plunge its tail through him, Scar shouted, (RAVE! Get your big ass over here! RIGHT NOW!)

-o-o-o-

Rave's head jerked as he heard the other Yautja's voice.

(Fuck!) Rave cursed as he realized his quarry had managed to lead him through a maze of corridors.

It had totally led him in the wrong direction.

The big Yautja wasted no time in pivoting and rushing off towards the direction Scar had shouted from.

He needed to reach Scar's position. And fast.

-o-o-o-

Lex's breath was shallow as the kainde amedha Drone brought its face millimeters from her face, almost as if scrutinizing her.

"What are you waiting for?" Lex snarled with a confidence she barely felt.

She darted her eyes in Scar's direction, only to discover he was still occupied with Grid. Her nerves were taut.

The hard meat was RIGHT there. What was it waiting for?

That's when she caught sight of the tail. It was not poised to strike, as she had first thought when she flinched instinctively. But no... it was snaking towards her. Almost gently.

The end of the tail was being guided, but that could only mean-

"No." Lex's voice was numb.

It was going to plant her with one of those eggs!

She didn't want to have one of those things burst through her!

Her breathing increased as the tail drew nearer, her mouth unable to form coherent words.

As it came a hand's-breadth from her, she did the first thing that came to mind. She snarled and snapped her teeth at it.

Hissing, the kainde amedha jerked its tail back, taken aback by the soft meat's reaction. Regarding the Ooman warily, the hard meat realized it would need to subdue her further before it could implant the egg.

It drew its slimy lips back in a snarl before it lunged.

But a thickly muscled arm suddenly whipped around its chorded neck, half-choking it before slamming it against the ground, (Bad kainde amedha! No attacking helpless Ooman!)

Relieved as she was, Lex couldn't help but snort an indignant reply, "Hey! I'm NOT helpless."

Rave tilted his head skeptically in her direction, (You're joking. Right?)

"Watch out!" Lex shouted.

Stumbling backwards, the big Yautja barely dodged the diagonal swipe of its tail as the angry hard meat clambered to its feet.

Watching wide-eyed in the flashing red lights, Lex noticed another thing that made the battling pause for a few moments.

An ominous creaking filled the hold.

-o-o-o-

Jet sat huffily in her seat, gracefully muscled arms crossed over her chest.

She yearned for battle! But she was yet to be blooded. And to kill during a Hunt that was not her own was expressly forbidden.

Nevertheless, she was still fidgeting impatiently.

The jet-colored Yautja had landed the transport on the thickest patch of ice she could find, thankfully only a few meters from the huge tanker itself. She had idly drawn her gaze to the sensors and turned it away before she did a double-take.

A huge, creaking vibration filled the chilled air as Jet tried to take in the sight that met her gaze.

The Piper Maru was moving. But not in the normal way.

Rather, it was tilting. And it seemed to be shrinking as well.

Wait, it wasn't shrinking.

It was sinking!

Despite their rather rude departure, Jet couldn't help but hope they came out before it was too late.

-o-o-o-

Everything that was loose in the hold began sliding to one side. Unfortunately for Lex, that just happened to be the side she was on.

A particularly large crate was scraping its way over to where she was pinned.

If it reached her, it would definitely do more than shove the dead hard meat against her. It would crush her.

Having his opponent struck badly on its side by a sliding metal object, Scar spared a glance at his curiously tilted surroundings. He spotted the crate and his eyes widened immensely.

It would crush her!

And judging from the frozen expression on her face, Lex seemed to realize it as well.

Forgetting his dazed opponent, Scar pumped his legs as he made a bee-line to intercept the crate.

Bunching his leg muscles, Scar sprang into the air. His kick landed solidly on the crate's side, making it fly harmlessly off to the side. In a flash he was at Lex's side, his blade whipped out as he severed the netting that trapped her arms with careful efficiency.

Wordlessly, Lex watched him, her brown eyes tracing the features of his mask. It felt like eons since she had last placed her gaze on that mask. But it couldn't have been that long ago, right?

The moment he had slashed the last of the netting, he stood to shove the net and the hard meat's body off her.

The next breath he was kneeling next to her once more, his hands checking her for wounds.

"Why?" Lex asked softly.

He saved her so many times. She saved him before, but she always found him saving her.

There was a time he had wanted to kill her before. But it was obvious he didn't want to now.

Was it because she was part of the Clan? Whatever this Clan was?

Unsure exactly what she was asking, Scar stilled his hands as he drew his head slowly to look her face to face.

"Why?" Lex repeated hollowly. Though she was asking a different question now.

They had left her. They had abandoned her. Just like that.

Would they have come back at all if the hard meats hadn't attacked?

Still confused, Scar started to say, (I don't know what you're aski-)

But Lex didn't let him finish.

She clenched her fist in anger as she demanded once more, "WHY!"

Scar was shocked as Lex hit him on the chest. Her soft expression had hardened, replaced by anger.

"Why? Why? WHY!" Lex demanded, each word punctuated by another hit to his chest.

A growl rumbled deep from his chest and Scar caught her wrists, about to demand what she thought she was doing.

But that was before he looked into her eyes. They were filled with sadness. With pain.

There were those tears.

"I thought you left me!" Lex shouted, her anger twisting into a pained expression as she remembered her waking moments the morning her memory had returned.

She had been alone. So very much alone.

She didn't even notice she was crying. She only felt a bitter anger as she demanded, trying to hit him again even though he still had a hold of her wrists, "WHY did you just leave! Why'd you come back at all!"

Scar felt something strike him deep inside, a painful wrenching he couldn't explain. But why? She had not impaled him with any sort of weapon.

So then why the pain?

"I wish you had just left! Stayed away! Why don't you just leave! Never come back!" She shouted, not knowing what poured past her lips as she continued to let out the bitterness and the anger that had been pent up inside since she had woken in the Piper Maru.

Since she had woken half conscious and scared half to death.

No memory. Feral. Frightened. Lashing out at anything.

Lashing out like she was now.

"I HATE you! I hate you!" Lex sobbed, "Why don't you just leave me alone!"

Scar jerked back at that statement as if he had been struck. He still had his hold on her wrists, though, finding that he couldn't let go. He wouldn't let go.

He looked into her eyes and saw the pain. The hurt. But also something that contradicted the anger. The hate.

She was lying. He could sense it, distorted though her body heat may be due to the previous near fatal events, he could sense that she was lying. And he wasn't afraid to admit what he knew.

(You're lying...) Scar chirped softly, a sad yet satisfied purr rumbling out at this realization.

Blinking at his blunt statement, Lex recovered quick enough to deny it as she tried to pull her wrists out of his hold, "No! NO I'm not! I HA-"

She was cut short as she suddenly found herself jerked forward against his chest. He had released her wrists, but only so he could wrap his arms around her smaller, trembling form.

She sobbed, her voice softer as she struggled to get out of his hold, "...I hate you..."

The words sounded weak, even to her. She tried to say it again, but nothing would come out. Scar didn't do anything despite her words and her tense form. He just...

He just held her.

Her spiteful, untruthful words died on her lips as she found the warmth from his big embrace.

Her breath caught in her throat as her brain tried to register what was happening.

He wasn't trying to crush her. He wasn't shielding her from anything and yet... she felt very much protected.

Safe.

(I'm sorry.) Scar said, his voice purring right next to her ear. One taloned hand was pressed against the small of her back, the other resting softly on the back of her head, (I can't apologize enough.)

Realizing she was holding her breath, Lex let it out in one shaky heave before she relaxed into his grip. It was just so natural. With his arms around her, Lex felt her anger and bitterness evaporate, no matter how much she tried to childishly hold on to it.

Pressing her cheek against his chest, finding his netting and armor only slightly uncomfortable, Lex closed her eyes as she tried to lose herself in his arms.

Feeling the tension ease from her lithe form, Scar began to gently stroke her hair with one clawed hand as he repeated softly to assuage her anger, (I'm sorry. Lex, I'm sorry.)

He meant his words. He meant every single word he uttered and Lex knew he did.

(I never- I just wanted... you were dying. I... I'm sorry for what you've had to suffer.) Scar had to pause in the middle of it and growl, fighting with the warrior side of him that accused him of going soft. Still, he was hoping the Ooman could get the message he was trying to relay to her. He truly was sorry.

Lex knew not everything that happened was his fault. She was not that childish.

But she couldn't bear the wrenching pain of being left again.

She had to know.

As much as she feared to ask, she NEEDED to know.

"Are you... will you leave me again?"

Scar's response was immediate. And though it was still softly spoken, it was filled with an unshakable conviction and a light growl.

(Never.)

A joy-filled tear traveled down her cheek as her arms, which had been dangling lifelessly before, wrapped around his broad torso, her fingertips barely meeting at the small of his back.

Heartened by the fact that she was embracing him back and that she was... just... ALIVE, Scar could only pull her closer to him, never wanting to let go.

His voice ringed with a hardened belief as he promised her softly, (Never again.)

After dispatching the kainde amedha he had been fighting, Rave had glanced around the large room and found that Grid had escaped once more. Sighing harshly in irritation, he had cast his gaze around the rest of the room only to lock it, shocked, on Scar and Lex. He had watched the heart-warming scene with curiosity and a grin tugging at his mandibles.

Granted, he thought the part where she had been hitting him quite hilarious once he realized she wasn't seriously trying to hurt him.

Striding up behind them, he crossed his arms and cleared his throat before saying matter-of-factly, (You know... we're still inside a sinking Ooman vessel. And I don't know about you two, but I'd rather NOT be inside it when this place is flooded with fucking cold water.)

----------------------

Haha, thanks for all the suggestions about the pic, guys. I got it handled now, though. I just made an account on DeviantArt under my author name: BlueBastard. Check it out if you want.


	17. Now What?

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: I'm really grateful for all the suggestions, guys! I'm not too computer savvy, if anyone's noticed. But I do have a DeviantArt account now. You just go and find my stuff under this same author name: BlueBastard. I'll be posting some other pics too.

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**Before****: The dead body wasn't Lex's. Scar hears her calling his name and sprints off to find her. Winston is back and as annoying as ever. After her battle with two hard meats, Lex had ended up trapped underneath a dead kainde amedha and ensnared in netting. Winston took advantage of this and stole the Queen's talon, attempting, in the process, to kill Lex as well. His first stab wrenched a scream from her throat, drawing Scar even faster to her location. His second, final stab never came as Scar was suddenly there, dangling the Ooman from an unforgiving fist. He tore the talon from Winston's grasp before slamming the Ooman against the far wall, where he crumpled in unconsciousness. Lex's voice draws him out of the flood of rage consuming him, giving him time to realize it would be smarter and safer to free Lex first before something bad happens. Grid stops Scar from freeing her and Rave stops another Drone from implanting Lex with an egg. As the ship starts tilting, Scar ignores a dazed Grid and slams away a metal crate that almost crushes Lex. Freeing her, a shaken Lex asks so many unspoken questions with a single word: "Why?". The two have a moment, Scar promising he'd never leave her. Rave, in the meantime, defeats his Drone and informs them quite frankly that he'd rather not be in the ship when it sunk. Or rather, in his exact wording: (You know... we're still inside a sinking Ooman vessel. And I don't know about you two, but I'd rather NOT be inside it when this place is flooded with fucking cold water.)**

------------------

Wondering if Scar would back down on his word, Lex looked at him.

He gave her his own, incredulous look, (Even if I WAS going to back down on my promise, which I'm NOT, I wouldn't leave you to die inside this ship.)

(If you two love birds are done, can we get a move on?) Rave demanded, almost feeling the urge to tap his big clawed feet.

Scar had an urge just then as well. The urge to punch Rave in the face. But he knew the big guy was right. They didn't have much time to waste.

Surging to his feet in a bundle of muscled power, Scar held an arm out to help Lex to her own feet.

But the moment she stood, she yelled out in panic, "My legs! They... I can't feel them."

She almost collapsed back to the ground. But Scar was there, laying her arm across his broad shoulders as he weaved a muscled arm around her. All that power in a single limb, and yet he held her as gently as if he feared she would break.

(Should we cut them off?) Rave questioned.

(NO. She couldn't have lost the circulation for that long.) Scar growled to the bigger Yautja. But then his look twisted with doubt as he turned back to Lex, (Right?)

Fear clouded her mind and Lex could only stare dumbly and say, "I don't know..."

(Unless you feel like gathering trophies, I suggest we all-) Rave started to say.

But Lex interrupted as Rave's words sparked a memory, "The talon! Where is it?"

They all turned their heads at once, but to no avail. The ship was as cluttered as it could be, not to mention their previous battle hadn't done much to make it look better.

Noticing something else, Lex frowned, "Mr. Winston's gone too."

(Who?) Rave questioned, feeling very inclined to just drag the both of them out of there if they didn't start moving.

The ship shuddered and through some part of the ship, they heard the load roar of water.

(The Ooman that tried to...) Scar couldn't even say it. Just thinking about it stoked the embers of his dormant fury.

The ship groaned once more, shuddering so violently they were almost thrown off their feet. Lex gasped once more, but this time out of pain, "I think... my legs are just asleep. I can feel the feeling coming back." And the feeling was very painful.

(We don't have time.) Scar said, scooping her up before she could begin to protest.

"H-hey!" She managed to utter before Rave quieted her.

(Would you rather wait to use your legs in here, where you'd most likely drown?)

As expected, the statement got the stunned yet acquiescent response Scar had been aiming for.

The trio darted off less than a breath later.

-o-o-o-

Jet watched as a few figures hurled themselves out of the ship at the last minute. She wasn't sure how long Oomans could survive in this cold weather AFTER dunking themselves in the freezing water, but she doubted it'd be for any length of time.

That's when the oddest thing happened. An Ooman and a kainde amedha were on the ice.

And they were running straight towards her cloaked vessel.

-o-o-o-

Lex wrapped her arms around Scar's neck, hanging on for all she was worth.

She knew he was making his running as smooth as possible, but she had almost been thrown off a few platforms down when the ship decided to shudder again. She wouldn't risk it again, if she could help it.

Scar himself tightened his own grip, remembering the same scenario.

But he knew he had to focus on where he was going and turned his concentration to where it was meant to be. As hard as it was to ignore the warm body in his arms, he managed to keep his eyes ahead.

They had been running around for what seemed like ages, encountering more than a fair share of dead ends and a handful of loud curses from each person.

(All I'm saying is that we'd better not be going in circles in this... this- damn OOMAN vessel!) Rave growled.

"Hey, I didn't build it." Lex stated aloud.

(Of course not.) Scar said, (Someone so idiotic would not have been able to join our Clan.)

"Thanks." Lex said dryly.

Skirting past a few torn cables, each sparking dangerously as they whipped around with a life of their own, Rave reached forward to yank open a door. He had barely shoved his head through before he closed it again, declaring firmly, (...We're not going that way.)

Before anyone could question his motives, they heard the sound of huge liters of water slamming against the closed door.

"Now what?" Lex questioned.

(This is taking too long.) Scar muttered, placing the Ooman on the floor. Lex was too shocked to argue or even keep her arms locked around his neck.

Lex stumbled slightly as she managed to right herself with the steadying arm of Rave. But a question rang through her mind.

Was he leaving her after all?

Taking a few steps away, Scar ignored their questioning gazes and looked directly upwards, forcing his aiming reticule to lock upwards through his mask. His target was the many levels of steel and tin above them.

His Plasmacaster hummed a split second before it lit up and fired a brilliant shot of blue energy.

ZHOOM!

The moment he fired, Scar dodged back towards them and out of the way, managing not to get stabbed through with the raining debris.

-o-o-o-

Dusting her hands off after such a simple task, Jet looked at her captive once before her attention was snagged by a loud explosion.

It had sounded like a plasma blast.

And sure enough, there was the blue ball of energy, hurling itself into the sky before it started to unravel its charged power.

That must be her cue.

-o-o-o-

Having a rare moment of thinking ahead for once in his life, Rave had placed his huge body in front of Lex's, acting as a physical barrier. She had been in the process of trying to head over to the yellowish-brownish Yautja just as Scar fired the Plasmacaster. Being the smart woman she was, or maybe simply having the instinct and will to survive, Lex ducked hastily behind the sudden shield of muscle and brawn before her.

(Are you okay back there?) Rave asked before the dust cleared.

Coughing, Lex replied, "Yeah -cough- Yeah, I think so."

(A little bit of warning next time?) Rave directed the light growl towards Scar.

Grunting in reply, Scar walked past Rave to scoop up a protesting Lex into his arms, "I can walk now! I think..."

(Oh. Can you fly as well?) Scar questioned with heavy sarcasm.

"Yea-" Lex started to snap back before his words hit her, "wait. What?"

All the warning the two big Yautja's gave her was a suspicious smirk.

Frowning, Lex started to demand what they were talking about.

But the next words were literally ripped from her mouth as the Yautja leaped into the air. For a split second, Lex dared to believe they could actually fly. Or at least, she thought they'd have to as a torrent of water finally burst through the door Rave had slammed shut earlier. Water rushed in below them, filling the empty corridor faster than Lex could fill her lungs with oxygen. She flinched slightly as a few stray droplets splashed against her, fear gnawing at her as she wondered if they could jump high enough to escape the icy grip of the water below them.

But they merely landed with rough grace on the edges of the ripped hole, only to bound quickly upwards once more. The most irritating thing Lex found was that they made it look so easy.

Irritation aside, she was glad they could go as fast as they were, because the hole was quickly filling up below them.

Gazing upwards, Lex could see the bright grey sky at the end of the hole. The opening was a few levels up, though, and the water below them was churning and catching up quickly.

Lex was afraid to ask if they'd make it, so fearful was she that the reply would be 'no'.

All she could do was cling tighter to Scar's armored frame.

Even as he leaped and scaled the jagged, vertical plasma-blasted shaft, Scar blinked and looked down at the creature in his hold. He didn't even break his concentration as looked back up at the hole's opening, willing his muscles faster.

Rave spared them a glance, making a calculated leap near the front of Scar's vision.

Their eyes locked and Rave gave an almost invisible nod.

They wouldn't make it out of there at the pace they were going. The water was too fast. Too relentless in its growing urge to escape the holds of the sinking vessel.

ALL of them couldn't make it, but with the right boost, at least two of them could.

Scar knew he didn't have time to think of the repercussions. He knew Rave's plan was the only sure way. And if he wanted the small chance it gave, he couldn't waste the time questioning it.

His thigh muscles rippling as he bunched them tightly at the next landing, Scar surged upward with sudden power, the small Ooman in his arms making a sharp gasp as the breath was literally torn from her mouth.

Then Rave was there, crouched two levels from the top, his hands linked in front of him. Moving as one, Scar's foot barely touched Rave's hands in passing before Rave shot upwards as well, lending most if not all his power into Scar's leap.

At the same time, Lex realized what was going on.

"Wait-" She started to say, prying her eyes open against the rush of wind as she whipped her head to look at Rave below them.

She caught the glint of his mask and his form slowly falling back into the hole. Then the water overtook him.

"RAVE!" Lex shouted, flinging out an arm.

But they were next to be swallowed by the water if they didn't get out of that shaft.

Then, suddenly, they hit the cold air and were out, still leaping at a forty-five degree angle from the belly of the ripped hole. With a hiss and unrelenting strength, the water surged out milliseconds behind them, clipping Scar's back foot.

Even with that miniscule power of the water applied to Scar's boot, the two found themselves tumbling wildly in the air, landing with a loud CLANK of Scar's armor against the Piper Maru's surface. The two lay there for a moment, both Yautja and Ooman trying to get their senses back.

Lex was the first dazed one up, her head lifting to survey the sinking vessel around them. They were on the lowest deck and more than three-fourths of the ship was under the icy surface.

Eyeing the approaching level of the water, Lex realized the cargo ship was sinking even faster after the water had surged out of their plasma-created hole.

"Scar?" Lex shook him, he gaze still on the water that was lapping quickly towards them.

"SCAR?" The brown Ooman repeated, looking over her shoulder at the water that surrounded them.

They needed to reach higher ground. But if this bastard didn't wake up NOW, they wouldn't be going anywhere but DOWN!

"If you don't get up right now, Scar, so help me... I'll kick you so hard you won't be able to continue your bloodline!" Lex threatened.

A dazed Yautja instantly struggled to lift his head, protests of, (I'm up, I swear. I'm up.) spilling from his groggy mandibles.

Half-dragging, half-helping the muscled warrior up, Lex moved both of them towards the radio tower near the center of the Piper Maru. It was the highest structure in the entire vessel and it was their only hope of keeping above the water for a few more seconds. Lex didn't know what they'd do after that, seeing as how there weren't any blocks of ice close enough for Scar to leap to, even with his incredible jumping abilities.

For some reason, Lex also knew the Yautja probably wouldn't last too long in the water, even if he would last longer than her.

Predators were a heat-loving species. Their planet the temperature of the hottest place on earth times three, at least. Even with the thermal netting, who knew what effects the freezing water would have on him.

(Rave...) Scar managed to utter as he stumbled alongside the Ooman, his limbs quickly coming back under control.

"I don't want to think about it." Lex said below her breath, grateful when she noticed Scar was fully functioning once more, "But we need to get to higher ground."

Scar's form tensed as their predicament finally sunk in, his head whipping around quickly to take in their surroundings.

Without hesitation or another word, he wrapped an arm around Lex's waist before leaping upwards, an arm outstretched to catch the rod at the top of the tower. They both just stood there, looking down at the black water that was slowly eating the rest of the ship below them.

For the first time, Lex noticed the many lifeboats floating far away, filled to the brim with survivors.

"Help! HELP us!" Lex shouted, waving an arm.

But they were too busy rowing for their life away from the sinking boat. They didn't want to be anywhere NEAR its undertow. And none seemed willing to travel back to pick up Lex or the form of what all thought was a very large man. Some, however, recognized Scar from his earlier rampage.

Of course, this only made some row even faster away from them.

Silence settled over the two on the top of the dying vessel. Scar didn't even notice he was still holding Lex beside him until she shivered.

With a light growl, Scar pulled her against him, letting his warmth wrap around her smaller form.

Grateful, Lex looked up into her masked comrade's eyes. She glanced at the water surging below them before returning her gaze to Scar's face. They only had a few more seconds, at the most.

"Now what...?" Lex said softly.

Scar's answer was to gaze back at her, shutting everything else out. This was not how he thought he would die a second time.

Knowing the pointlessness of speaking again, Lex just clung tightly to him, tensing at the thought of the icy water enclosing them like the cold coffin it was. Imagined it sucking them under just like it had Rave.

That's when a few droplets of water landed on their heads.

This wouldn't have surprised them if the surface of water below them hadn't been so calm. And if the drops hadn't come from ABOVE them.

(Now what?) Rave clicked incredulously, (Now I come and save your asses so you two could owe me big time later.)

As the two jerked their heads up in surprise, they heard a growl of pain trill from Rave's large mandibles.

(HEY. WHO's driving this transport? WHO just saved your ass back there?)

(All right, all right...) Rave grumbled begrudgingly, looking back at Yautja and Ooman looking up at him from the remains of the Piper Maru, (JET came and saved your asses...) At a threatening growl from further inside the transport, Rave added hastily, (AND mine. And my ass. Jeeze, happy now?)

(I will be once you get those two up here before they, you know, DROWN. You ass.) Jet snarled.

As if remembering they were in a sort of dire situation, Rave grimaced, (Oh, right.)

Before either Scar of Lex could blink, Rave had them both up inside the transport, lifting with only a hand gripping Scar's free arm.

Deposited safely inside the warm interior of the transport, Lex and Scar both glanced back at the dark water below them, the last of the Piper Maru sinking down with a sickening SPLURCH.

Then the door of the transport was closed and they were off.

Dripping and slightly shivering, Rave rumbled out a question, (Are you two all right?)

(We're not the ones looking like a drowned kitten.) Scar said lightly.

(Kitten?) Rave frowned.

"You know... a small bundle of fur and cuteness. Totally harmless." Lex informed helpfully.

(Fur?..CUTENESS?), Rave demanded with a rising voice. (...HARMLESS!)

Before Jet, Lex, and Scar could burst out laughing at the picture Rave was in his smoldering anger, a small groan came from a fifth inhabitant in the small transport.

(You wouldn't believe who I found, running in terror, from a hard meat.) Jet grinned, (I would've ignored him if I hadn't spotted this thing.)

Jet, in the meantime, held up the Queen's Talon for all in the transport to see.

At the same moment, Scar and Lex's eyes narrowed.

Surging to her feet, Lex stepped around Jet and spotted the man immediately, looking worse than she remembered. But she didn't care, she could only snarl, barely refraining herself from slitting his throat then and there.

The man was trussed up.

But that didn't stop Scar from roaring his fury and launching himself at the man.

The small soft meat squeaked in terror as he came fully awake to the sight of a Yautja charging at him.

It was a small transport, so Rave bounded easily over to Scar and managed to hold him back. Barely.

(Woah, what's gotten into you two?) Rave demanded, knowing Scar was a notch away from attacking Rave himself in order to get to the soft meat trembling on the floor.

(He. Tried. To. KILL...) Scar couldn't even finish the though, his muscles trembling with his anger.

"Why don't you tell them?" Lex said coldly to the man cowering before her, "Why don't you tell all of them exactly HOW you tried to do it... Mr. Winston?"

"I-I... I... I don't know w-wha-" The Weyland Company's man stuttered.

"Like HELL you don't know!" The Ooman shouted, her eyes narrowing to slits, "I was trapped. Helpless. And you tried to spill my lifeblood."

Rave was rendered speechless, his stunned gaze flickering between the Ooman, to Lex, to Scar and back again. And he had been trying to protect that... THING?

"Not only that, but you STOLE my trophy." Lex snarled.

Mr. Winston didn't even doubt his chances of survival were low, if even existent at this point. Three... monsters were glowering at him and Lex herself was mere inches away, her face twisted in cold disgust.

(Such dishonor...) Jet managed to utter.

For such a slight to a warrior's honor, the only solution would be a battle to the death. But would rules apply to such an obvious weakling and an outsider to the Clan?

Rave didn't care. He released his hold on Scar, hoping very much that he'd kill the Ooman as slowly and as painfully as possible. Scar advanced steadily, that same thought in mind.

But Jet was quick to get back her voice, (Wait!) When the two male Yautja's fixed her with a disbelieving stare, she explained, (It is for the soft mea- er... for Lex to decide, is it not?)

All four gazed were then turned on Lex's hunched form, her eyes closed.

The silence stretched no one moving.

Winston didn't even dare breathe, feeling the cold sweat dripping down his forehead and back. He was staring at Lex, knowing she was his only chance for survival at this point. He didn't really like the look he had read from the two bigger monsters' stances. For prey always knew when a hunter wished its death. And those two were willing him to just die on the spot from the places they stood a few feet away. He didn't even know what the slightly smaller and slimmer monster right by Lex's side was thinking, though at least he recognized she must have been a female of the monsters' races.

And for some odd reason, they were treating Lex as one of their own.

Never one for patience, Rave sighed and opened his mandibles to speak.

But Scar beat him to it, (Shut up.)

Snorting gruffly, Rave still complied, knowing something important was going down but just wishing she wouldn't take so long to reach a decision.

Finally, Lex opened her eyes, her brown gaze meeting Winston's wide and fearful ones.

"I want you dead." Lex said softly, earning an approving grunt from Rave, "But..."

(You're not going to kill him... are you?) Jet clicked softly.

(HOW can you give him another chance?) Scar inquired with a soft trill, stepping behind her, (How could you be so forgiving after what he's done?)

"I'll give you a second chance." Lex said to the man before her, waiting for him to stand before continuing, "And you'd better fuckin' USE it and hope I never see you again."

"Thank you. Thank you, Lex. You don't know how grateful-"

"SHUT UP!" Lex shouted, turning away in disgust. She couldn't look at him anymore.

As she strode away, Winston attempted to follow her. But Rave stepped into her place, effectively stopping the soft meat in his tracks. Silent, Rave crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at the puny soft meat.

Then it hit Winston and he shouted around the Yautja's large form, "Wait! Where am I supposed to go!"

Punching open the transports doors, wind rushing in as they continued flying, Scar walked up to the small man. Without a word, Rave and Jet watched as Scar dragged the pleading man to the door.

Then there was a silence that filled the hold as Jet closed the door again.

Lex was still turned away from all of them. She faced away from the door and the sensors. She hadn't looked.

"Did he fall in the water...?"

(...No.) Scar said sullenly.

Sighing, Lex stepped forward and leaned her forehead against the transport's cold, metallic wall.

Her next words were so soft even the three Yautja's behind her had trouble catching it.

"Now what...?" Lex repeated, "What happens now? Where do I go?"

Was she to be left on Earth, forgotten by the warriors she had grown close to through their survival in the pyramid? Would she be able to return to normal life, climbing mountains and doing odd jobs on the side? For some reason, she didn't think any of it would ever be the same.

Especially if she wouldn't get to see Scar ever again...

Questions about what they would do with the Ooman ran through Jet and Rave's minds. Would she be accepted by the others? Would she survive in their way of life? Would it ever be the same, or as interesting, without her?

But for Scar, there were no questions. He would accept no other solutions.

In the next moment, he was pulling Lex from the wall, wrapping her instead in his warm and muscled embrace.

"What happens now...?" Lex murmured softly, lulled by the safety of his arms, barely aware of the words slipping past her lips.

(What happens...?) Scar trilled, his head tilting slightly to the side, even as Lex turned slightly to meet his gaze. Lex leaned back into his embrace, placing her hands over the arms that wrapped around her waist. She rested the back of her head on his upper torso as she waited for his reply.

Glancing briefly at Jet and Rave, Scar squeezed her slightly in his embrace as he clicked deeply, (We are all going home.)

"We?" Lex questioned, turning to look at all the Yautja's present, unfortunately taking her out of Scar's hold. But she had to make sure. She had to make sure she wasn't hoping for the impossible, "As in... ALL of us...?"

Grinning at the slight sense of worry he sensed in her, Scar nodded, (Yes... ALL of us.)

"Including me...?" Lex said in a hushed tone.

Unable to stand it anymore, Rave sighed loudly and complained, (How hard headed ARE these Oomans? Yes, Lex, we are taking you with us. We didn't go and rescue you for no reason. And it's not like you're blind too. I mean, isn't it obvious that Scar-)

The yellowish-brownish Yautja growled, interrupting the bigger warrior and searing Rave with a glance.

(Should I toss him out of the transport as well?) Jet suggested.

(No, let me.) Scar growled, a grin touching his mandibles as he advanced towards the sorry-looking Yautja.

A tug on his arm stopped him as Lex said, "Hey."

Scar turned his attention towards the Ooman beside him, his head tilted.

"We're ALL going back, remember." Lex reminded with a smile.

(Even this big idiot?) Jet inquired, her thumb jerking towards Rave and getting an indignant huff from said Yautja.

Lex nodded.

(Fine...) Scar nodded, stating off-handedly, (It wouldn't be the same without him anyway.)

(Yeah... THANKS Lex, I really appreciate your friendship.) Rave said dryly, giving Scar a dead-pan glare, (Unlike some OTHER friendships I USED to have, you actually have my back.)

(Hunter's Moon, you didn't take me SERIOUSLY, did you?) Scar asked.

(I'm sorry. Was someone talking to me? Lex, would you inform this... supposed warrior that I'm not speaking to him. Ever.) Rave said in mock seriousness.

(Rave, you couldn't stand a day without opening your trap.)

(Excuse me? Was someone trying to talk to me again? Can we get the door open, Jet? I'd like to stretch my arms a bit.)

A light growl and a tackle later, Jet was howling at the two Yautja's on the floor, (If you two DAMAGE my transport EVEN ONCE, I SWEAR I'll toss you BOTH out MYSELF!)

Lex was laughing too hard to even try to help. Her laughing was carefree now, though. The dilemma was solved.

She was going home.

-----------------------

THE END... not, haha. By raise of hands, how many would kill me if I ended the story here?

Anywho, I'm gonna continue this storyline in Scar, Friend or Foe II.

Wonder what'll happen...


End file.
